It’s easier to predict than you may actually think.

After a thrilling Wild Card weekend in the National Football League, eight teams remain in the hunt for a possible Super Bowl title.

There’s the hottest team in football, the New England Patriots, facing one of the league’s co-MVP’s, Tennessee Titans quarterback Steven McNair.

There’s the “Greatest Show on Turf,” the high-powered offense of the St. Louis Rams, facing one of the toughest front fours in football, the Carolina Panthers.

But none of that really seems to matter.

There’s only one team that stands a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Houston when it’s all said and done, now that the beloved Buccaneers are out of the picture. And quite frankly, it shouldn’t even come as a shocker.

The Kansas City Chiefs are going to win this year’s Super Bowl.

It’s not because of the numerous offensive weapons they have. It’s not because of the home-field advantage this weekend. It’s not even because they won 13 consecutive games to open the season.

It’s because of the x-factor they possess. One man on the roster is going to make a difference. And quite honestly, though he now starts for the Chiefs, he really doesn’t even have to play.

Former Bull Kawika Mitchell is going to carry the Chiefs to the promised land. And there is really nothing any other NFL team alive in the playoffs can do about it.

This isn’t a Nostradamus-like prediction. Bengals receiver Chad Johnson hasn’t called it yet. And it wasn’t necessary to peer into a crystal ball or even visit a psychic.

One only needs to look at the rosters of every team remaining in the playoffs to see that Kansas City is the inevitable champion.

Mitchell stands as the only former USF player on an NFL playoff roster. He’s in just his first season at Kansas City. He was eventually thrust into the lineup because of an injury, but the former second-round pick and the highest draft pick in school history brings the Chiefs a history of success when chasing the Super Bowl title.

OK, maybe it’s not an extensive history of success. But it’s a whopping two-years’ worth.

Each of the past two Super Bowl winners — the Patriots and Buccaneers — had a former Bull on their roster. New England had Kenyatta Jones; the Bucs had Ryan Benjamin.

Granted, neither of those players contributed anywhere near what Mitchell will eventually do for the Chiefs this postseason. But they were there, and that’s all that really matters.

Maybe the success of former Bulls winning championships in the pros has something to do with the lack thereof, or bad breaks, that the Bulls have had in recent years at the college level.

For two seasons now, Coach Jim Leavitt’s squad has been left out of the college football bowl picture. Maybe it’s just bad luck. However, maybe it was just meant to be.

Doesn’t it seem like an even trade — championship title for a December matchup in Idaho against North Texas?

If someone were to ask Jones or Benjamin what they would rather have, a Super Bowl diamond-studded championship ring or a bowl berth, what do you think their answers would be?

So watch out NFL, the Kansas City Bull is heading your way. All the way to Houston. Looking for Lombardi.

History is with the Chiefs. Mitchell is the x-factor. That’s all there is to it.

Unless another Bull happens to get on one of the other seven NFL rosters.

Has anyone seen Marquel Blackwell lately?

Contact Oracle Sports Editor Adam Adkins at oraclesports@yahoo.com