NFL Super Bowl LVI predictions and tips: Numbers add up for 49ers success

Free Super Bowl LVI tips, best NFL bets and analysis ahead of the new season getting underway on Thursday, September 9.

Best bets

San Francisco 49ers
1pt 14-1 each-way general

Miami Dolphins
1pt 30-1 each-way bet365 & Hills

Season preview

Timing in the National Football League is everything. One second can be all that separates an individual and his team from glory and ignominy in the heat of battle.

The same rule applies off the field too and one man who has never missed a beat is Tom Brady, who knew the time was right to move on from the New England Patriots last off-season after six Super Bowl wins.

For the 44-year-old it was a case of new team, same result as he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the franchise’s second Super Bowl title, scooping the big game’s MVP honour along the way.

Things couldn’t have gone better for Brady and with all 22 of the Bucs' starters returning this year, he has a good chance to add an eighth winners’ ring to his collection. The layers like his chances too, making Tampa Bay the 13-2 second-favourites behind the team they crushed 31-9 in the Super Bowl, Kansas City.

An offensive line that crumpled like a paper bag prevented the Chiefs from winning back-to-back Super Bowls but Kansas City have spent big to improve superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ protection in the off-season, while retaining all the key pieces on offence that has made them so dangerous over the last three years.

The 5-1 on offer for a Chiefs Super Bowl win seems about right for a franchise that has dynasty potential but they face a tough time just getting out of their conference this year. The AFC looks as competitive as it ever has with the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans, to name but three, all with their sights set on the playoffs.

Top pick for Super Bowl LVI

San Francisco 49ers

The NFC is more top-heavy with perhaps only five teams having a genuine shot at winning the Super Bowl. Among that group are the San Franciso 49ers, who look primed to bounce back from a disastrous 2020 season.

No team had as many injury problems to deal with as the Niners last year, with up to 30 players absent at one point in the season. Amongst them were some key pieces on both sides of the ball, including Nick Bosa, George Kittle and Jimmy Garoppolo, all of who have returned to full fitness in time for the 2021 campaign.

Just to rub salt into the wounds, covid regulations meant San Francisco had to play their final three home matches away from the Bay Area as they finished 6-10.

Just like for the rest of the planet, 2020 was a year to forget for the 49ers but the outlook looks much brighter for a team who mortgaged their future in the draft, trading up to number three to take talented quarterback Trey Lance.

Rather than sacrifice veteran quarterback Garoppolo to make room for Lance, head coach Kyle Shanahan, one of the sharpest offensive minds in the NFL, has plans to use both men. Garoppolo has a 24-8 record with the Niners but can’t stay healthy and Lance, who is more of a dual-threat quarterback than pocket passer Jimmy G, will more than likely see a good chunk of time on the field.

Whoever operates under centre will have plenty of offensive weapons to choose from with Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel forming an excellent receiving trio, while they have a plethora of running back options.

The defence could prove tough to stop too with Bosa and Dee Ford back to full fitness and Fred Warner ranking amongst the top linebackers in the league.

While San Fran operate in the most competitive division in football, the NFC West, their schedule ranks among the easiest in the NFL and anything other than a playoff berth would represent a disaster.

It’s easy to forget that this group of Niners went 13-3 and were within one quarter of winning a Super Bowl just two years ago.With so much talent on both sides of the ball, they could easily eclipse that effort at a good price.

Next best bet

Miami Dolphins

Two years can be a long time in the NFL and plenty does change in that period. Miami are a perfect example. The Dolphins went 5-11 in 2019 but took several large steps forward last year as they went 10-6, narrowly missing out on the playoffs.

Not since 2015 had a team recorded double-digit wins only to miss out on the postseason, a sour end to an otherwise good year.

Rebuilding is supposed to take time but head coach Brian Flores has done a remarkable job turning this team into playoff contenders. Flores, New England’s former defensive coordinator, has made Miami’s defence into a top-ten unit that led the league in takeaways last season. The likes of Xavian Howards, Byron Jones and Emmanuel Ogbah are natural talents but put into Flores’ schemes they have thrived.

The big questions the Dolphins have to answer is on offence, and a lot rides on second year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. We saw the good and the bad from the Alabama alumnus in 2020 but there were mitigating factors for the bad, including his recovery from a serious hip injury and a lack of a pre-season due to covid.

Miami have made plenty of noise that Tua will be more ready for this year and if that’s the case then they could be a very efficient offence. The sophomore quarterback will have better weapons to work with this year, including old college team mate Jaylen Waddle at wide receiver, and should show his good sign more consistently this season.

The Dolphins might be in a tough division but they are a team going places and another big step forward this year puts them in the Super Bowl picture.

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