When they face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55 at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will make history by becoming the first team to play in the Super Bowl in their home stadium. The Chiefs have a chance to make some history of their own, as a win would make them just the ninth team to win back-to-back Super Bowls and the first since the New England Patriots did it in 2003-2004.
The Chiefs are just the fourth team in the last 20 seasons to play in consecutive Super Bowls. But Kansas City will not be content with merely making it to The Big Game, especially when they have a chance to establish the NFL’s newest dynasty.
They entered the season as the favorite to repeat as champions and have not disappointed, compiling a 14-2 record in the regular season thanks to a high-powered offensive attack. It certainly looked unstoppable against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Co. tallying 439 total yards on their way to a 38-24 win.
The red-hot Buccaneers, winners of seven straight games, stand in the way of the Chiefs repeating. The last game Tampa Bay actually lost was against Kansas City in Week 12. Since then, Tom Brady and Co. have been a different team and should give the Chiefs a tough challenge.
Here are four bold predictions when the two teams meet for Super Bowl 55.
1. Patrick Mahomes passes for two touchdowns
The game is being billed as a matchup between Mahomes, the best quarterback in the league, and Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time. It will be the second playoff meeting between the two signal-callers, with Brady winning their first one in the AFC title game two years ago back when he was playing for the Patriots. But since then, Mahomes has won a Super Bowl of his own and is poised to earn a second one after another strong season.
In the Week 12 meeting, Mahomes made mincemeat of the Buccaneers’ defense, completing 37-of-49 passes for 462 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. But the Tampa Bay defense has improved since then, sacking Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers a season-high five times in the NFC Championship Game. The Buccaneers ranked fourth in the NFL in sacks and third in pressure rate, and Mahomes should face more pressure this time, especially with left tackle Eric Fisher missing the game with an Achilles injury.
In Super Bowl 54 against the San Francisco 49ers, Mahomes completed 26-of-42 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. It was a subpar game by his standards, but it was enough to give the Chiefs the title and win his first Super Bowl MVP.
This year, he remains the favorite for the award even as he faces another talented defense. But even if he faces more pressure, Mahomes is too talented not to find his receivers for scores multiple times during the game, which he will on Sunday.
2. Travis Kelce will have at least 90 receiving yards and a touchdown
Tight end Travis Kelce wreaked havoc against the Bills in the AFC title game, finishing with 13 receptions for 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns. In 17 games so far this season, including the playoffs, he has failed to score a touchdown just five times and has found the end zone at least once in each of the Chiefs’ last six games. The six-time Pro Bowler has reached the 100-receiving yard mark eight times this season and should come close to the mark in Super Bowl 55 against the Buccaneers.
In their Week 12 game, Kelce finished with eight receptions and 82 receiving yards, though he failed to find the end zone, with teammate Tyreek Hill having three scores and 269 receiving yards in one of his best games. Hill and Kelce will receive special attention from the Buccaneers, but Kelce should still be able to gain yardage and find the end zone for Kansas City.
3. The defense forces an interception in the second half
Brady will play in his 10th Super Bowl on Sunday, and he remains one of the best at his position even in his 21st season. But the Chiefs' defense has also been playing well as of late, despite much of the discussion being focused on their offense, and they should be able to pressure the 43-year-old signal-caller.
Against the Packers in the NFC title game, Brady completed 20 of his 36 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. But he also had three interceptions in the game, all of them in the second half, which allowed Green Bay to come back into the game.
While the Tampa Bay defense was still able to hold off Rodgers and the Packers, the Chiefs are a different team and should be able to capitalize if Brady is intercepted. In their previous meeting, the former Patriot completed 27-of-41 passes for 345 yards and three scores, but he also had two interceptions, with safety Tyrann Mathieu and cornerback Bashaud Breeland picking off his passes. An interception in the second half of Super Bowl 55 would be crucial and could help turn the tide in favor of Kansas City.
4. Chiefs beat Buccaneers and win back-to-back Super Bowls
History states that the Chiefs will find it difficult to repeat as champions, as other teams before them have failed to do. But if there’s any team that could do it, it’s Kansas City. The team has looked unstoppable for most of the season, they boast the league’s best quarterback and one of the best coaches in Andy Reid, and they have a stacked offense and a defense playing well at the right time.
Brady has taken the Buccaneers on a memorable run in his first season with the team, but the Chiefs have been together for far longer, with Mahomes, Kelce, and Hill at the peak of their powers. Tampa Bay may keep the game close, and Mahomes and the Chiefs will certainly face pressure from a Buccaneers defense that did a good job stopping the Packers.
But in the end, Kansas City will still emerge victorious and win back-to-back Super Bowls to establish a new dynasty, with Patrick Mahomes getting the best of Tom Brady in an epic battle.
Follow Us
Subscribe