Subscribe
Follow Us
The 2020 NFL season is down to its final game in Super Bowl LV which will feature the AFC's Kansas City Chiefs who are gunning for their second straight Super Bowl title. On the other hand, the NFC's Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also looking to upset the reigning champions and ultimately end their 18-year title drought. It's time to make our Chiefs-Buccaneers Super Bowl LV Prediction.
Both teams have already faced each other back in Week 12 of the season where the Chiefs emerged victorious against the Buccaneers on a 27-24 victory. The Buccaneers are certainly raring to get that game back and defend home turf, especially on a biggest stage of them all.
Looking back to the regular season, the Chiefs were 7-9 against the spread and were 8-8 in over/under odds. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers were 9-7 against the spread and tallied an identical 9-7 record in over/under odds.
Here's how sportsbooks have set the odds on the upcoming Super Bowl LV tilt between the Chiefs and the Buccaneers:
NFL Odds: Chiefs-Buccaneers Super Bowl LV Odds
Chiefs -3 (-105)
Buccaneers +3 (-115)
Over 55.5 Points (-115)
Under 55.5 Points (-105)
Why The Chiefs Could Cover The Spread
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has always been the main barometer of the team's success all throughout their stellar campaign this season. However, he is reportedly nursing a toe injury sustained from their Wild Card Round tilt against the Cleveland Browns which will require surgery after the title game.
Despite the pain, the star playmaker is reportedly looking good in practice and has maximized the two-week break to recover from his injury. The Chiefs are in a prime position to win the game and cover the spread if Mahomes will be able to play like his usual self and connect with his weapons on Sunday.
If Mahomes is healthy, he's the single most dominant force in the league right now. Simply having him back in the Super Bowl with another successful year under his belt is tough to argue against.
In addition, most of the players from their championship roster in 2019 were retained by the team in a bid to defend their title this season. These players already know what it takes to win on the grandest stage of football and will look to do it again, this time at the expense of the Buccaneers. Continuity breeds success when the pieces fit as perfectly as the Chiefs' stars do.
Moreover, the Chiefs are winning on a larger margin against their opponents in the postseason as compared to the Buccaneers. In two playoff games, the Chiefs have routed their counterparts by an average of 9.5 points, as compared to the Bucs' 7.6 points in three contests.
Kansas City was knocked all season for winning a handful of tight contests. But more than luck, they've shown in their earlier rounds that they have a higher gear they can reach – one that's much higher than the Bucs can handle. With a Super Bowl repeat within their grasp, expect the Chiefs to be operating close to their sky-high ceiling for this one for a victory.
Why The Buccaneers Could Cover The Spread
Much like the Chiefs, the Buccaneers have built their roster around their veteran quarterback in Tom Brady. To the team's advantage, the 43-year-old playmaker himself has already accumulated significant playing experience in the championship game over the last two decades with nine total Super Bowl appearances. Even saying it like that is an understatement.
Several of the team's key players namely Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Leonard Fournette have never been to a Super Bowl all throughout their careers. However, their limited experience even in the postseason didn't seem to be a factor as they all contributed massively to the team's success during their road to the final showdown.
Their performance against the Green Bay Packers shows that the Bucs can certainly act as giant-killers. With Aaron Rodgers & Co. expected by most to meet Mahomes, Tampa Bay put the clamps on them to steal a victory. The fact that this came with Tom Brady throwing three interceptions shows that this team can play up to their competition and can match anyone in the league step for step – including the Chiefs.
Tampa Bay will successfully cover the spread if they can get big-time performances that their individual pieces are capable of giving. If Tom Brady can replicate his Super Bow magic of old, then maybe they even win the whole thing outright.
Final Chiefs-Buccaneers Super Bowl LV Prediction & Pick
Both teams have successfully secured their respective seats on the Super Bowl stage for a reason. However, the Chiefs have shown more consistency all throughout the season and have imposed their dominance against their opponents way better than the Buccaneers.
Despite Tom Brady's brilliance shining this late into his career, he's very clearly the inferior QB at this point against Patrick Mahomes, which certainly is more a testament to Mahomes' talent more than it is a knock on Brady's. The Buccaneers has shown their fangs in their previous wins, but the Chiefs are a whole different animal.
Barring a near-perfect game from all of Tampa Bay's stars, it'll be tough picking against a Kansas City Chiefs side that has the best quarterback in the game and all the weapons he can handle.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: KC 25, TB 20
