Heading into the Super Bowl on Sunday night, nearly every expert had the Chiefs winning outright as the three-point favorites. This ended up being just another opportunity for Tom Brady to show why you should never bet against him.
After falling to the Chiefs in the regular season, the Buccaneers defeated the defending Super Bowl champions with ease to complete their marvelous championship run.
After entering as the No. 5 seed, Tampa Bay had its first home game of the playoffs in the Super Bowl, the first team in NFL history to make the Super Bowl in the year its city hosted the big game.
Tom Brady was once again doubted by the masses after leaving New England last offseason. The 43-year-old quarterback was tied with the legacy of Bill Belichick and many thought his days were numbered following a below-average 2019 season.
Any questions of Brady’s greatest-of-all-time status were put to rest last night as he won his 7th Super Bowl following a season where Tampa Bay went a mere 7-9.
Although Brady had a great performance, the win turned out to be a blowout due to the Bucs’ defense and veteran supporting cast. All four touchdowns were scored by veteran free agents that were signed this season by Tampa Bay: tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Leonard Fournette.
Andy Reid and the Chiefs are known for having a dominant game plan following a bye week. After averaging over 28 points per game in the regular season, the Chiefs’ offense was shut down with injuries to both starting tackles.
Patrick Mahomes had zero time in the pocket, and it resulted in his worst performance of the year. He is hardly to blame. His receivers failed to make plays with three dropped passes as he was running for his life in the backfield.
The pressure rate from the Bucs’ defense was historic. Mahomes was pressured on 29 plays compared to four for Brady, the most of any quarterback in Super Bowl history per ESPN
The Chiefs shot themselves in the foot on special teams and with penalties. Tampa Bay was able to dominate the field of position and continue drives when it mattered most due to the Chiefs’ lack of disciplined play.
This is not the end for either team. Kansas City is young, talented and poised to make another return to the Super Bowl. Despite father time being against Tampa Bay, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers' veterans are all planning to return next season with head coach Bruce Arians.
Kansas City is the current favorite for next year's Super Bowl with Tampa Bay following right behind per DraftKings Sportsbook.
