Looking at the best prop bet picks to score the a touchdown in Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
One of the most popular prop bets every year for the Super Bowl is picking which players will score a touchdown in the game. Over the years, there have been some surprising touchdown scorers, such as Malik Jackson, Gary Russell, Brandon LaFell, and, of course, L.J. Smith.
With Super Bowl LIV just a few days away, here are some of our favorite picks to score a touchdown on Sunday night:
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (+105)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. (Photo credit: Jay Biggerstaff – USA TODAY Sports)
The best bet to score a touchdown on Sunday has to be Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce, who has now scored five touchdowns in his last five playoff games. When the Chiefs get close to the end zone, they often will target their big tight end. Andy Reid will also draw up plays for Kelce as a wildcat runner, making him even more dangerous in the red zone. Consider him basically a lock to reach the end zone at least once against the 49ers.
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Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill (+110)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill. (Photo credit Denny Medley – USA TODAY Sports)
While Tyreek Hill has yet to have a monster playoff game during his NFL career (no games with at least 90 yards receiving), Super Bowl LIV seems like the perfect opportunity for him to shine. In the last two seasons with Patrick Mahomes, Hill has scored 20 touchdowns in 28 contests. When Mahomes is looking to throw the ball deep, you can bet he is searching for Hill.
Given that 49ers have an older secondary, look for the Chiefs to attack them down the field and for Hill to have multiple chances at scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
49ers TE George Kittle (+120)
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle. (Photo credit: Stan Szeto – USA TODAY Sports)
Arguably the best non-quarterback in this game on Sunday is 49ers tight end George Kittle, who was named first-team All-Pro this season. While Kittle has never scored more than five touchdowns in a season, the team may need to rely on him to do some of the heavy lifting on offense in this game. Look for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to target his superstar tight end early and often during the Super Bowl.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel (+200)
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel. (Photo credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)
Much like the Chiefs with Hill, the 49ers do everything in their power to make sure rookie receiver Deebo Samuel touches the ball plenty. He’s a dynamic player who is explosive with the ball in his hands. During the 2019 season, Samuel scored six touchdowns on just 71 offensive touches. If this game turns into a shootout like many people expect, look for Samuel to get quite a few looks inside the red zone.
Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman (+390)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman. (Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing – USA TODAY Sports)
If you are searching for better odds on a touchdown bet, look no further than the Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman, like Samuel a rookie tight end. His role in the offense continues to grow and he has already proven himself as a return threat. In the team’s two playoff games, he racked up 228 kickoff return yards. He has outstanding speed, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the rookie took a jet sweep for a touchdown or caught a bomb from Mahomes at some point in the game. At nearly 4-1 odds, Hardman is a fun long-shot prop bet.
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Former Georgia Bulldog Mecole Hardman Jr. will be playing in Super Bowl LIV as his Kansas City Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers.
Former Georgia Bulldog Mecole Hardman Jr. will be playing in Super Bowl LIV as his Kansas City Chiefs face off against the dominant San Francisco 49ers. Hardman Jr. will play a big-role in the game. He’ll have a chance to provide to Chiefs with a spark with a return, catch, or jet sweep.
Games like this are why the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Hardman in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The Chiefs were looking for another explosive receiver in their passing game to compliment Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Travis Kelce. Patrick Mahomes leads Kansas City’s offense, which is averaging 43 points per game in the playoffs.
The Chiefs face their toughest opponent of the 2020 postseason in the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are allowing 15 points per game in the playoffs. San Francisco features an elite pass rush and a stout secondary including Richard Sherman, arguably the best corner in the NFL. Sherman will match up with Kelce, Watkins, and Hill often, but will rarely face Hardman. This will give Hardman a unique opportunity to make a splash play in a championship game. When Patrick Mahomes gets enough time, will he and Hardman be able to hook up for the next big Super Bowl moment?
Hardman has made numerous big-plays this season and could make the difference with one the Super Bowl. Georgia football released a hype video of Hardman’s explosive play-making ability ahead of the Super Bowl:
Ruggs III ended his collegiate career with 98 receptions for 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns. He is regarded by many as a first-round wide receiver and compares to the Kansas City Chiefs’ star wideout, Tyreek Hill.
Here is a scouting report and breakdown of Ruggs III strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths: Fast is an understatement. He has a rare gear that not many players have. If he isn’t as fast as Hill on the field, he is close. If he has a free release off of the snap, watch out. He demands attention for a defensive game plan and will always make teams respect the deep ball to him.
Ruggs runs great routes and snaps his head around for the ball quickly. He can turn a slant into a big touchdown like he did against South Carolina or a bubble screen into a 75-yard touchdown like he did against New Mexico State. He has great hands and catches the ball naturally.
Surprisingly, for a guy his size, he is a solid blocker. He had a block in the red zone against Auburn that helped secure a touchdown and it was exactly what you want to see from a wide receiver. He gives effort in the run game and that is a big plus.
Ruggs makes everything he does look so easy. He ran a double move against Southern Mississippi, burned the defender badly, but the ball was slightly underthrown. Ruggs made the adjustment on the ball, caught it easily, and then accelerated like it was nothing to get to the end zone. He gets compared to Hill for plays like this. He is an elite game-breaker like Hill and is a guy you want to get the ball to. His career 17.5 yards per catch is a really good number and at a bare minimum, he will be an elite deep threat in the NFL.
Weaknesses: Ruggs’ LSU game tape was extremely concerning. The Tigers pressed him almost the entire game. He had 3 catches for 68 yards, but 2 of those catches were when he wasn’t pressed. The one that he did catch when he was pressed was a long play and gave him time to get away from the press and get open. He did not catch any passes from actually beating the press off of the snap. He will need to show in the NFL he can be physical enough to get off of the press and make plays, or he may need to be more of a slot guy that you need to generate touches for or hope he burns the defense deep.
He was extremely inconsistent on film, disappearing a lot during games. His stats are also very underwhelming for a “top WR” prospect (40 receptions for 746 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2019). Some will say it was because Alabama has stud wide receivers on the field with him, but the same argument could be made for the other receivers at Bama, but they do not need it because they still balled out.
Ruggs gets tackled easily if the defender gets their hands on him. Luckily for him, he is usually able to outrun the would-be tacklers, but if they do get a hold of him, 9 times out of 10 he is going down.
Overall Impression: Ruggs has a very high floor because of his elite deep threat ability. Even if you get the worst from Ruggs, he is a guy that can easily score a 50-yard touchdown just because of his speed and receiving ability. He may never be an elite wide receiver, but he will always be an elite weapon. Questions about his ability to get open and work off of press coverage will be big early in his career. At his best, he can be Hill, but at his worst, he can be a healthier Will Fuller. I think a team would be okay with either.
Grade: 1st round (Picks 12-20)
Fit with the Eagles: Not to state the obvious, but the Eagles need speed and Ruggs would obviously give them that. DeSean Jackson will be back in 2020, but adding a dynamic playmaker like Ruggs to the equation will only equal good things for the Eagles. Doug Pederson should have no trouble watching the film on his former team and getting Ruggs involved like the Chiefs do for Hill. If the Eagles truly want him, they may need to move up for him. If they move up for him, they fully expect him to reach his ceiling and be their Hill. However, he will not give the Eagles the elite No. 1 wide receiver they are still searching for. Ruggs isn’t going to catch 100+ passes a season, so Eagles fans should temper their expectations. Regardless, Ruggs would be fun to watch in Philadelphia and Carson Wentz would be able to air it out to him like he did in Week 1 of the 2019 season to Jackson.
Mahomes threw two touchdowns to Tyreek Hill to keep the game close, and then, with 11 seconds left in the first half, Mahomes did THIS from the Tennessee 27-yard line.
Was Mahomes helped by the rules and officiating perceptions that protect quarterbacks whether they’re in or out of the pocket? Perhaps. But Mahomes hasn’t needed any refs to put up the ridiculous numbers he has so far this postseason.
Patrick Mahomes' last six quarters: 37 completions in 55 attempts for 493 yards, seven touchdowns, no interceptions., 10 rushes for 89 yards and another touchdown.
First, it was a five-touchdown performance against the Ravens in the divisional round, bringing Kansas City back from a 24-0 deficit. Now this, and the Chiefs went into the half with a 21-17 lead. No matter what happens in this game, Patrick Mahomes continues to define his legend as a player.
Patrick Mahomes finds the end zone on a 27-yard scramble to give the @Chiefs a 21-17 lead going into halftime.@PatrickMahomes covered 64.0 yards of distance on the play, the most distance covered on a TD run by a quarterback this season.#TENvsKC | Powered by @awscloudpic.twitter.com/2tKfuCRoag
Watch the Houston Texans capitalize on a Chiefs muffed punt by Tyreek Hill. Deshaun Watson and Darren Fells connect on the touchdown.
The Houston Texans’ special teams are the MVP.
On the Chiefs’ first drive, outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo blocked a Kansas City punt, which cornerback Lonnie Johnson recovered for a touchdown, the Texans’ special teams struck again.
Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill muffed a Bryan Anger punt deep into Kansas City territory. The Texans’ special teamers acted on it, as cornerback Keion Crossen came up with the recovery on the six-yard-line.
The result of the muffed punt? Shock. The crowd at Arrowhead Stadium deflated at the sight of the fumble by their superstar receiver. Even worse, for those in Kansas City, the Texans quickly scored again.
After a Deshaun Watson two-yard run, the two-time Pro Bowler connected with his red-zone mate, Darren Fells. Watch below, the two connect on a touchdown to give the Texans a 21-0 lead.
The Bears and Chiefs will face off on Sunday Night Football. If you could have any Chiefs player on the Bears, who would it be?
There will be no shortage of storylines when the Chicago Bears (7-7) host the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) at Soldier Field on Sunday Night Football.
From Mitchell Trubisky vs. Patrick Mahomes to Matt Nagy vs. Andy Reid, there will be no shortage of storylines heading into this game.
Following a 12-4 season where they won the NFC North, the Bears have flat-lined this season in the midst of offensive struggles that have, unfortunately, defined their season. They’ll miss the playoffs for the eighth time this decade.
But the Chiefs, on the other hand, have continued their dominance and look primed to return to the AFC Championship under the leadership of Mahomes and a defense that’s beginning to find its footing.
Which begs the question — which Chiefs player would you want on the Bears? (Although, I’m pretty sure what the consensus will be.)
The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.
The NFC East is the worst division in the NFL. It also is the most entertaining.
Even though no team in the division currently has a winning record, the playoff scenario got more intriguing in Week 15. Plus, there’s all sorts of speculation about which head coaches might be fired, and a New York icon may have played his last game for the Giants.
The Cowboys finally played the way a team with that much talent is supposed to play, improving to 7-7 with a 44-21 shellacking of the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles also climbed to 7-7 after a 37-27 win over the Redskins. Dallas plays at Philadelphia in Week 16, and the Cowboys can clinch the division title with a victory.
Even though the Cowboys are in the playoff race, coach Jason Garrett’s job doesn’t appear safe. Rumors are swirling that owner Jerry Jones is considering Urban Meyer as a replacement for Garrett.
Things got even more interesting when Meyer showed up at the Redskins game on Sunday. Can you imagine a bidding war for Meyer between Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder?
New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur also could be on the hot seat, even though he got a win against Miami. But Shurmur wasn’t the Giants’ most interesting story of Sunday. Instead, that was Eli Manning. The veteran quarterback played what might have been his final game for the Giants, while filling in for injured rookie Daniel Jones.
Here’s where the NFC East teams — and the rest of the league — stand in Touchdown Wire’s Week 16 Power Rankings.
32. Cincinnati Bengals
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
(1-13. Last week: 32)
A 34-14 loss to New England was expected, but the Bengals actually kept the game close until the third quarter. But in the end, they lost to one of the league’s best teams. More importantly, the Bengals remained on pace to earn the top pick in next year’s draft. That means it appears as if newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow will wear a Cincinnati uniform next season. After briefly benching veteran starter Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley, the Bengals have been sticking with Dalton. That’s somewhat inexplicable, because Dalton threw four interceptions Sunday. Dalton has no future with the Bengals. But he’s doing his part to make sure Cincinnati gets Burrow.
31. Washington Redskins
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
(3-11. Last week: 30)
The Redskins lost to Philadelphia, 37-27. The game meant nothing to the Redskins aside from impacting their draft position. The real story here is that Urban Meyer was spotted in a luxury box at FedEx Field with injured Washington quarterback Alex Smith, who played for Meyer at the University of Utah. Let the speculation grow that Meyer, who won national championships at Florida and Ohio State will be the next coach of the Redskins. Of course, current Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins also played for Meyer, at Ohio State. Meyer’s sighting could foreshadow an off-field showdown in the NFC East. There is widespread speculation that Dallas owner Jerry Jones covets Meyer. Given the personalities and egos of Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder, there could be a bidding war for Meyer.
30. Miami Dolphins
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
(3-11. Last week: 29)
The only real highlight of Sunday’s 36-20 loss to the Giants was that it likely was Eli Manning’s final start for New York. Injured rookie Daniel Jones is expected back in the lineup next week, and Manning probably will retire or play for another franchise next year. But there were a few bright spots for the Dolphins, too. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and receiver DeVante Parker hooked up on two touchdown passes. More significantly, the loss keeps the Dolphins in the race for an early draft pick, where they can seek a long-term answer at quarterback — because there is no long-term future with Fitzpatrick or backup Josh Rosen.
29. Detroit Lions
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
(3-10-1. Last week: 28)
The Lions lost 37-17 to Tampa Bay on Sunday. That means they now have suffered 10 losses in consecutive years with Matt Patricia as coach. They also ran their losing streak to seven games. Does all that mean Patricia is on the hot seat? There are two ways to look at it. First, Patricia’s record in Detroit (9-20-1) has been unimpressive, and coaches have been fired for less. The fan base probably wouldn’t be too upset if Patricia gets canned. But on the flip side, Patricia still has his team playing hard even though the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough and are dealing with a rash of injuries. For the sake of continuity, I would give Patricia one more season.
28. New York Giants
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
(3-11. Last week: 31)
A 36-20 victory against the Miami Dolphins may not seem like much. But there was a big storyline for the history of New York’s franchise. This almost certainly was the last start of Eli Manning’s tenure with the Giants, as he threw for two touchdowns and Saquon Barkley ran for two more. Daniel Jones is New York’s quarterback of the future. Jones has been out with an ankle injury, and that’s the only reason Manning has been back as the starter. But Jones returned to practice on a limited basis last week and is expected to return as the starter for the final two games of the season. This win was important for Manning, who could decide to retire after the season. It got his career record back to .500. Manning is a borderline Hall of Famer. A .500 record sounds a lot better than a losing record to Hall of Fame voters.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(5-9. Last week: 27)
The Jaguars went to California and beat the Raiders in their final game in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas next season. But the win doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that significant changes will be made in Jacksonville in the offseason. That could mean coach Doug Marrone, executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell are on the hot seat. Any or all of them could be gone after two disappointing seasons since a berth in the AFC Championship Game. The other big question in Jacksonville is who will be the quarterback next season. Rookie Gardner Minshew has outplayed the high-priced Nick Foles. Minshew has earned the right to at least compete with Foles in the preseason.
26. New York Jets
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
(5-9. Last week: 24)
Thursday night’s game against Baltimore went exactly as expected. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the likely NFL Most Valuable Player, threw for 212 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for 86 yards. That’s no surprise, since Jackson has put up huge numbers all season. What is surprising, and concerning, is that the Jets suddenly seem to be a team in turmoil. During Sunday’s game, coach Adam Gase and quarterback Sam Darnold had a heated exchange on the sideline. They downplayed the incident after the game, but it still wasn’t a good sign. Running back Le’Veon Bell, the source of controversy in Week 14 when he supposedly missed the game with the flu but was seen bowling the previous night, returned and rushed for a season-high 87 yards. Maybe Bell should go bowling more often. The Jets also clinched their fourth straight losing season. That’s their longest such streak in the Super Bowl era.
25. Carolina Panthers
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
(5-9. Last week 23)
On the surface, a 30-24 loss to Seattle isn’t embarrassing. The Seahawks are one of the best teams in the NFL, after all. But this one was embarrassing when you look at it from another perspective. The Panthers now are 2-5 at home this season. That’s embarrassing because the Panthers have good fans, and Bank of America Stadium has given the team a home-field advantage in the past. But the Panthers have lost six games in a row, and their future has more questions than answers. Will Kyle Allen, who threw three interceptions Sunday, be the starter next year? Or will it be longtime franchise quarterback Cam Newton? The bigger question is who will be the coach next year? Don’t be surprised if Urban Meyer’s name surfaces. Carolina owner David Tepper has the funds and the desire to compete with the big boys — Dallas’ Jerry Jones and Washington’s Daniel Snyder — for Meyer’s services.
The Denver Broncos will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15. Here are four things to keep an eye on in the matchup.
The Denver Broncos (5-8) head to Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday to face the Kansas City Chiefs (9-4).
There will be plenty on the line for the Chiefs. Though they have already clinched the AFC West division crown for the fourth year in a row, they are still in the hunt for a first-round bye in the playoffs.
For Denver, they are just trying to build on their last two wins with rookie Drew Lock at quarterback. After a dominant win over the Houston Texans last Sunday, a win this week would really get people talking.
Here’s what to look for in this one.
1. Can Lock keep it going?
(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Lock is the obvious place to start as he has been sharp in his two starts with the team. He hasn’t done anything out of this world, but he has looked a lot better than Joe Flacco and Brandon Allen did and that has brought an excitement that hasn’t been felt in years.
In two games, Lock has completed a whopping 72.7 percent of his throws for 443 yards and five touchdowns. On Sunday, he will be playing against the team he rooted for as a kid and members of his family and friends are sure to be in attendance.
He will likely be motivated to continue his hot streak.
2. Is Patrick Mahomes 100 percent?
(AP Foto/David Zalubowski)
Mahomes has been good this season, but he hasn’t been as good as he was in 2018 and that might be attributed to one thing — injuries.
It seems that Mahomes has been battling injuries all season, as he tweaked his ankle against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 and later dislocated his knee in the first meeting with the Broncos this season.
Last week, he appeared to injure the thumb on his throwing hand against the New England Patriots.
The Chiefs have done a good job disguising his ailments and protecting him, but Mahomes hasn’t been “right” all year in all likelihood.
A rematch of last January’s AFC Championship is on tap for 4:25 p.m. today as the New England Patriots host the Kansas City Chiefs. New England has won the last two meetings against Kansas City, but the Chiefs know how to play tough in Foxboro. Before falling 43-40 in a Week 6 battle at Gillette Stadium last season, Kansas City spoiled the hearts of Patriots fans in a compelling 42-27 Week 1 victory in 2017.
To get more of an inside scoop on the Patriots’ rival, we spoke with Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire about Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City’s defense, and more.
Given that Patrick Mahomes missed a few games earlier this season and backup quarterback Matt Moore took over, how do Chiefs fans feel about this Kansas City team sitting at 8-4?
I think the general consensus is that everyone is happy to be at 8-4 at this point. The Chiefs had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL this season, so to be approaching the last quarter of the season and in complete control of the AFC West is about as great of a position as you could ask for. There’s also a lot of fans out there that believe they haven’t seen this Chiefs team play their best game of the season yet. Last week against the Raiders was close, but the offense didn’t quite play up to what fans know they’re capable of.
We know about Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill. What are the other offensive pieces that Patriots fans should know about?
The pair of offensive rookies, Mecole Hardman and Darwin Thompson, are the two players I’d keep an eye on during this game. Hardman has been a consistent offensive weapon throughout the season. He really rivals Tyreek Hill in terms of speed, but he’s not quite as refined as a route runner yet. I expect Andy Reid to find ways to get him involved during this game. As for Thompson, he really just emerged this past week against the Raiders. He had 11 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown late in the game. With Darrel Williams going to IR and Damien Williams unlikely to play, he should be in line for touches behind LeSean McCoy.
Last year, the Chiefs gave up a combined 80 points in their two matchups against New England. With how much the Patriots have been struggling offensively, how does this current Chiefs defense line up against New England’s offense?
I think this defense is playing some of its best football right now. They’re getting pressure and turnovers, plus the coverage on the back end is much better than Tom Brady and the Patriots saw last season. The one area where I think the Patriots offense can get an advantage is by using their running backs in the passing game. Linebacker is very clearly the weakest position in Kansas City and they don’t do a good job covering running backs in man coverage. If the Pats can force those matchups they can certainly get their offense going against the Chiefs.
In order for the Chiefs to go to the Super Bowl this year, it’s looking like they will have to win on the road in January. How confident are you that they could pull it off?
Arrowhead Stadium used to have one of the best advantages home field in the NFL, but I think that has since wavered a bit. The Chiefs have done a good job this season proving that they can win anywhere if they play their best football. They have wins on the east coast, west coast and even Mexico City. They’ve even had some really good fan turnout for several away games. If Kansas City can get a win against the Patriots in Week 14, they’ll have regular-season wins against both teams that likely secure the No. 1 and No. 2 seed in the AFC (Ravens and Pats). That’d certainly add to their confidence when it comes to going on the road.
Since I told you I predict for the Chiefs to win Sunday, what are your thoughts on this week’s matchup at Gillette Stadium?
I think there are a lot of people out there overlooking the Patriots because of their recent offensive struggles. At the same time, I think there’s an equal amount of people underrating the Chiefs because of history. Before last season, the last time the Patriots lost back-to-back games in December was 2002. The crazy streak of success in Foxboro is hard to contend with.
I feel these teams are evenly matched and I’m expecting a lower-scoring game than usual because of it. The Chiefs will find some success in frustrating Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, but Brady will get the best of the Chiefs’ defense at times. I think it comes down to a field goal in the end with a 20-17 type of victory favoring Kansas City
