Super Bowl LV Preview
After a season marked by game rescheduling and COVID outbreaks, the Super Bowl is actually happening, with the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 6:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 7, will mark the beginning of Super Bowl 55.
The game will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida. This is the first time in NFL history that a team will be playing in their home stadium in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, they will not have a full home field advantage since the stadium will only be at one-third capacity.
The Buccaneers came into the playoffs as a wild card team, winning away games against the Washington Football Team, the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers.
Tampa Bay comes into the game with plenty of offensive weapons, including a strong running game led by Ronald Jones II. Its passing options also feature a cornucopia of talent: Chris Godwin and Mike Evans lead the passing attack, with speedy threat Scotty Miller providing an excellent deep ball option. Rob Gronkowski has regressed considerably from his time in New England, but he still provides a viable option at tight end.
Offensively, the Buccaneers have plenty of star power. Defensively, however, the Buccaneers are even better. Their stellar pass rush and run defense highlight their strengths, but their secondary has also been quite respectable over their postseason run.
The most important position on a team, however, is quarterback, and the Buccaneers boast Tom Brady. After a stunning offseason departure from the New England Patriots, Brady will be playing in his 10th Super Bowl and aiming to win his seventh.
Despite all the talent on the Buccaneers, however, the Kansas City Chiefs enter as favorites.
In Patrick Mahomes II, the Chiefs have the best quarterback currently in the NFL, and he is aiming to be the first quarterback since Brady to win Super Bowls in consecutive years. After dealing with a potential concussion in the divisional round clash against the Cleveland Browns, Mahomes is expected to be at 100%.
The Chiefs receiving corps is led by Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman. The speed of Hill and Hardman can trouble any secondary in the league, while the tight end Kelce is a mismatch against any linebacker or corner covering him.
In addition, Kansas City has a strong defensive line and an elite secondary that can put the clamps on any quarterback. While their pass rush will likely be weaker than Tampa’s, the Chiefs can still do damage.
Interestingly, the two teams did face off earlier this season. The Chiefs exploded into a 17-0 lead before a Buccaneers comeback fell short, leaving the Chiefs with a 27-24 win. The Buccaneers will be keen for revenge as they seek their first Super Bowl since 2003, while the Chiefs aim to win their second Super Bowl in a row.
This game will likely come down to which defense can cause more trouble for the opposing offense. Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes are generational talents, just at different stages of their careers. A win for Brady presents him the opportunity to walk into retirement atop the NFL landscape, while a win for Mahomes could already elevate him to greatest-of-all-time conversations, a feat especially impressive given that this is only Mahomes’ third year as a starter.
Luke Randle is the Asst. Sports Editor. Follow him on Twitter at @lukerandle02.