Super Bowl LVIII midseason predictions: Eight NFL teams picked to lift Lombardi Trophy in Las Vegas

Tom Blair: Eagles over Dolphins. I could keep my preseason pick (Chiefs over 49ers), but there are enough questions about both squads for me to mix it up here. So now, I’ll say the Dolphins finally figure out a way to beat other playoff teams — until they lose their way against the Eagles again.

Michael F. Florio: Eagles over Bengals. Changing up my pick from the eve of the season (Bills over 49ers). The Bengals are shaping up to be the threat everyone thought they would be before the slow start. They get by the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, but the Eagles’ defensive line turns out to be too much. Jalen Hurts and Co. win a close one, allowing Philly to finish the job after falling just short in last season’s Super Bowl.

Christian Gonzales: Eagles over Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa takes Miami to the Super Bowl, but Philadelphia’s defense forces a late turnover, redeeming this past February’s Lombardi loss to Kansas City.

Matt Okada: Eagles over Bengals. Joe Burrow and Co. defeat Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs to reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three years, but again fall to an NFC powerhouse, this time led by MVP Jalen Hurts and his pair of rushing touchdowns.

Chad Reuter: Eagles over Chiefs. The Eagles play complementary football, with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and D’Andre Swift making plays on offense while the defense limits Patrick Mahomes and company just enough to get the win.

Nick Shook: Eagles over Ravens. Philadelphia returns to football’s biggest stage with a team that had to work harder to get there. The seasoning proves well worth it, as the Eagles find a way to shut down Lamar Jackson and Co., bringing home the title that eluded them a season ago.

Brendan Walker: Eagles over Ravens. Jalen Hurts defies all odds and repeats his MVP-caliber Super Bowl performance from a year ago, this time out-dueling Lamar Jackson.

Brooke Cersosimo: 49ers over Ravens. There’s no blackout this time around. With George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey leading Kyle Shanahan’s offense, it’s neck-and-neck the whole way until the 49ers’ defense makes one final stop — via a shoestring tackle of Lamar Jackson just short of the end zone — to give San Francisco its sixth Lombardi Trophy.

Eric Edholm: 49ers over Ravens. Losers of three straight games at the moment, the struggling 49ers can be Super Bowl contenders again if Brock Purdy and the defense tighten up. In a crowded AFC field, Lamar Jackson could be the X-factor on that side of the tournament bracket.

Steve Mariucci: 49ers over Chiefs. San Francisco overcomes a midseason slump and is in prime form come playoff time. In Las Vegas, the 49ers serve up an impeccable all-around performance, with Kyle Shanahan and some key players from that Super Bowl LIV team getting revenge on the Chiefs.

Dan Parr: 49ers over Chiefs. I don’t feel as good about picking San Francisco as I did in the preseason — when the team wasn’t sputtering through a three-game losing streak — but even the great squads go through a rough patch. Kyle Shanahan finds a way to get Brock Purdy back on track and rides a determined defense to the top.

Marc Sessler: 49ers over Chiefs. I’m sticking with the tilt I crystal-balled back in the preseason. The Niners are working through some internal junk, but I trust Kyle Shanahan to milk the most out of Brock and the boys, catch holy fire come January and finally take hold of the elusive Lombardi.

Judy Battista: Bengals over 49ers. I see no reason to change my preseason pick. The Bengals got hot as soon as Joe Burrow got healthy, and they stay that way to the very end.

Marcas Grant: Bengals over Eagles. Joe Burrow and the Bengals shake off a dreadful start to knock off the Eagles and claim the franchise’s first Lombardi.

Bobby Kownack: Bengals over Eagles. Jalen Hurts and Co. fall on the biggest stage for a second straight year, as Cincinnati caps off its turnaround with its first Super Bowl triumph.

Michelle Magdziuk: Bengals over Eagles. With Joe Burrow leading the way, the Bengals finally bring a Lombardi Trophy to the city of Cincinnati, while Jalen Hurts has another spectacular performance in a Super Bowl loss.

Gennaro Filice: Chiefs over Cowboys. Sticking with my preseason pick because I’m stubborn. … Or smart? The Chiefs are doing what the Chiefs do: cruising to another AFC West title. The Cowboys are doing what the Cowboys do: teasing us with flashes of greatness. Can Dallas iron out the kinks, get hot at the right time and hit Vegas? Double down!

Anthony Holzman-Escareno: Chiefs over Eagles. Yes, the same two teams meet for a second consecutive showdown on the game’s biggest stage. Once again, the Chiefs have the best player on the field (and in the world), allowing them to beat the Eagles for a second straight Lombardi. With No. 15 and a great defense, Kansas City is tough to pick against.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Chiefs over Eagles. I’m sticking with this matchup after what I’ve seen in the first half of the 2023 regular season. Jalen Hurts dials up another notable performance but again comes up short to Patrick Mahomes, who further cements his legacy as one of the best ever. 

Kevin Patra: Chiefs over Cowboys. The Chiefs become the first back-to-back Lombardi winners since the 2003-04 Patriots, and Patrick Mahomes matches Tom Brady with three Super Bowl victories by the age of 28.

Keegan Abdoo: Ravens over Cowboys. John Harbaugh takes home his second Lombardi Trophy with the best coordinator duo in the NFL and the league MVP.

Jeffri Chadiha: Ravens over Eagles. Lamar Jackson gets that much-coveted Super Bowl win with the help of an elite defense that frustrates Jalen Hurts in his second straight bid for a championship.

Marc Ross: Ravens over Eagles. Lamar Jackson has prompted me to flip my preseason pick. He erases all doubts about past postseason failures when he wins the regular-season and Super Bowl MVPs — a year after Patrick Mahomes accomplished that feat. Beyond Lamar’s heroics, the Ravens’ defense holds up its end of the bargain by stifling Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown. 

Mike Band: Dolphins over 49ers. The protégé (Mike McDaniel) takes down his mentor (Kyle Shanahan) in a battle of big-play talent and innovative schemes.

Lance Zierlein: Dolphins over Cowboys. Two wild-card teams meet in the Super Bowl, with Mike McDaniel and his explosive offense ultimately preventing Jerry Jones from finally nabbing a fourth Lombardi Trophy.

Leslie Frazier: Bills over Eagles. I changed the NFC representative from my preseason pick (from San Francisco to Philadelphia), but I’m sticking with Buffalo to win it all. The Bills reward their loyal fans with a world championship, as Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs prove to be too much for the Eagles’ defense.

David Carr: Saints over Chiefs. The Saints continue to build throughout the second half of the season — and in January — to peak when it counts. I envision my brother, Derek Carr, firing on all cylinders in a venue he’s very familiar with to outplay Patrick Mahomes and overwhelm Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.