3 reasons the San Francisco 49ers should be Super Bowl favorites

1. Christian McCaffrey is a difference maker for 49ers

He was the first 49ers’ player to lead the NFL in rushing yards since Pro Football Hall of Fame running back in 1954. Along with Miami Dolphins’ running back Raheem Mostert, the seven-year pro led the league with 21 total touchdowns. That made him the first Niners’ player to since Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in 1983 to pace the NFL in this category.

Running back Christian McCaffrey also led the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and earned All-Pro honors for the second time in his career. He ran for a career-best 1,459 yards and 14 scores plus caught 67 passes for 564 yards and seven touchdowns.

In the divisional playoffs, he totaled 98 yards and two scores on the ground in the comeback win over the Packers. There were 20 attempts for 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Niners rallied to beat the Lions in the NFC Championship Game.

San Francsico finished third in the league in rushing in 2023. Meanwhile, while the Chiefs were the league’s second-ranked defense this season, they were a mediocre 18th in the NFL vs. the run. Josh Allen and the Bills tagged Steve Spagnuolo’s defense for 182 rushing yards in a losing effort.

Could the Niners turn this into a lesson in power football?