Hello readers! The 32 teams that started this season back in September has reached to one champion as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl Champions for the first time since 2002. In this post I'll do a recap of the big game, my thoughts on the halftime show, and my favorite ad from the big game. Let's get to work!
Super Bowl LV Recap
Kansas City 9, Tampa Bay 31: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers The winning team wasn't a surprise but the margin of victory was one. There was questions on how well Patrick Mahomes could move around and how well his toe was. He moved around a lot sure but he looked off on his throws. Mahomes finished the game with 270 yards passing with two interceptions. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 64 yards on nine carries but most of those runs were during the early quarters. Patrick Mahomes rushed for 33 yards. It would be the first time since 2017 that the Chiefs would go a whole game without scoring a touchdown.
The keys for the Buccaneers were to take advantage of turnovers, pressure Patrick Mahomes and play smart football. Tom Brady was spectacular in the game as he threw for 201 yards with three touchdowns. Leonard Fournette made his case for MVP as he rushed for 89 yards with a touchdown. The Super Bowl MVP went to Tom Brady instead.
Halftime Show Thoughts
So The Weeknd was this year's halftime act. I had listened to some of their songs prior to the show and I liked them. The first part of it where they were up in the stands was kind of off. Especially when the singer was in the sort of light-up funhouse. It sort of got better when the show took it to the field. Overall, I still think Prince's performance in Super Bowl XLI is the best.
Favorite Super Bowl Ad
In my honest opinion, I thought the commercials this year weren't that great compared to last year. My favorite from this year was the Flat Matthew McConaughey commercial from Doritos. It kind of reminded me of the Jason Momoa commercial where he was taking off his six-pack and muscular arms after a long day.
In terms of NFL posts, I won't be posting those for probably until July unless something comes up. Thanks again for reading these posts, its been a fun season doing these.
Hello readers! The big game is almost a week away (writing this on a Sunday and possibly part of Monday) and the anticipation of it is intense. In a week's time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs will be set to do battle for the Lombardi Trophy. In this post i'll talk about: a recap of both team's seasons, who'll be the Super Bowl broadcaster on television, an NFL Throwback, my keys to the game and my pick to who will win it all. This post will be probably lengthy so be prepared. Let's get to work!
Team Recaps: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Prior to the 2020 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were stuck in a mess. Jameis Winston looked like another quarterback that turned into a bust for a team that made it a career black hole where NFL careers would go to die. All that would change in March 2020.
For the first 20 years of his career, Tom Brady was a New England Patriot. After 20 years of playing on one of the greatest dynasties in the National Football League history, he became a free agent. It would not take him long to sign with a new team. In an instant, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became a legit contender for the Super Bowl.
Jameis Winston would get traded to New Orleans. The team then added veteran players like Rob Gronkowski who had been retired for two years as well as Leonard Fournette. To shore up the defense the Buccaneers drafted Antoine Winfield Jr and Tristan Wirfs to help provide some protection to Tom Brady.
The new collusion of players would need time to gel and with no offseason program to help gel them together, the Buccaneers got off to a rough start. The Bucs would win three of their first five games by close margins. There was no panic mode however. The leadership of Tom Brady would help guide the Buccaneers through the rough patches.
Tampa Bay would go on to have a three-game winning streak that included blowout wins against Green Bay and Las Vegas. They would win a close game against the Giants on the road. It looked like things were back in order for them until the Saints came to town.
New Orleans would prove to be a versatile adversary for Tampa. Tampa lost to them on the road in Week 1 by a fair margin. When the experts and America were on the Buccaneers side, the Saints proved to use the underdog card to their advantage. The Saints would win matchup #2 by a 38-3 margin.
Much was talked about after their blowout loss to the Saints. Such talk was that the Buccaneers were disintegrating from within, Tom Brady and Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians at odds with each other. It was a media circus with the team. The team would go on to beat the Panthers in a rebound win but they would lose again. They would lose to the Rams and the Chiefs by close margins but losses matter in this league. Tampa would head into their bye week with a 7-5 record. They would not lose another game for the rest of the regular season.
The Buccaneers last four games were good wins. They beat the Vikings 26-14 in an effort to keep up with the Saints in the division and stay in the playoffs. Tampa won a close game against the Falcons. Their playoff drought was ended when they blew out the Detroit Lions 47-7 to get their first playoff berth since 2007. They finished the regular season with a win against the Falcons at home with a record of 11-5.
Their playoff prospects were somewhat rosy. Tampa would have to go on the road for all of their games. In the Wild Card round game, they would rack up 500+ offensive yards against the Washington Football Team in a 31-23 win. That seemed simple for the Bucs but the true test was coming up.
The Buccaneers had lost to the Saints twice in the regular season. Both games were 10+ point losses and each time it looked like Tom Brady played like he was a rookie still. Tampa's defense would have to step up to the challenge to thwart Drew Brees from him getting another ring. Led by linebacker Devin White who had 10 tackles, 1 forced fumble and an interception as well as two Tom Brady passing touchdowns, the Bucs would exact some measure of revenge in a 30-20 win. The Buccaneers were one game away from a trip back home to the Super Bowl.
Standing in the Buccaneers way of a Super Bowl berth was the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers soundly beaten the Packers 38-10 at home. The conditions were much colder in Green Bay. Tampa's offense was playing stellar in the 1st half and then things turn for the worst when Tom Brady threw three interceptions. Fortunately, the Buccaneers defense would come to the offense's aid as the Packers would not get much points out of the opportunities. In a much closer game, the Buccaneers would hold off Green Bay in a 31-26 win.
Tampa Bay will make their 2nd Super Bowl appearance in team history in Super Bowl LV. Their first appearance was in Super Bowl XXXVII when they defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 to win their 1st Super Bowl championship. We will have to see if they can win their 2nd this upcoming Sunday.
Team Recaps: Kansas City Chiefs
On February 2nd, 2020 the Kansas City Chiefs erased five decades worth of championship drought, playoff exits, and losing seasons. They won their first Super Bowl championship since Super Bowl IV. The moment was truly bittersweet but like most champions, the Chiefs were hungry for more.
The prospects for a Chiefs return to the Super Bowl were pristine as many starters from the 2019 team would return. One of the weaker spots of the team was the lack of a good running game. The answer for the problem came in the draft as the Chiefs drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the 1st round of the 2020 draft.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire didn't take long to prove that the Chiefs made the right decision as he racked up 138 yards rushing with two touchdowns in the Chiefs Week 1 victory over Houston. He would finish the season with 803 yards rushing with four touchdowns. Safe to say it was a good choice.
Kansas City would start the season winning their first four games by fairly reasonable margins. Their closest game to a possible loss was an overtime win against the Chargers. That game would feature the debut of Justin Herbert.
If there was a wakeup call for the Chiefs in 2020 it was when the Las Vegas Raiders came to town. The game was a reminiscent of the old Raiders-Chiefs matchups as both teams traded punches. Ultimately it came down to a failed Chiefs comeback to give the Chiefs their first loss since November 10th, 2019 to the Titans. The Chiefs would not lose another game until Week 17.
After a 4-1 start they would win their next four games before their bye week. Such wins against the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers. They would reach their bye week with a 8-1 record.
The rematch against the Las Vegas Raiders provided some exciting drama as the Chiefs would score a touchdown with less than a minute to go. Las Vegas had scored a touchdown prior to that. It seemed that the Raiders left too much time for the Chiefs to go down and score a touchdown to win the game.
The next game would provide some additional drama as the Chiefs traveled to Tampa Bay. The game was a no contest in the 1st half as Tyreek Hill ran over the Buccaneers defense. Kansas City was up 20-7 by halftime. Tampa Bay would comeback in the 2nd half but the Chiefs would hold on to beat them 27-24.
The rest of the regular season didn't provide a lot of drama for the Chiefs. Kansas City would win a 1st round bye in the playoffs, their 5th consecutive division title, and a 14-1 record into Week 17. Head coach Andy Reid decided to rest his starters against the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert exacted some revenge over the Chiefs as he helped beat the Chiefs 38-21. Granted he was facing off against Chad Henne.
With a 1st round bye the Chiefs would not play in the Wild Card round. They would need the extra rest as the challenge of repeating a Super Bowl title is tough enough. The Road to the AFC playoffs would go through Kansas City as they were the #1 seed.
Their opponent in the Divisional round would be the Cleveland Browns, a team that had beaten rival Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round. Kansas City would jump out to a 16-3 lead heading into halftime. Virtually the Chiefs offense was unstoppable as Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce would provide the power. These Cleveland Browns were not your father's Cleveland Browns though as they came back to a 5-point lead heading into the late 4th quarter. They would get to Patrick Mahomes and injure him with a concussion (it would be later be diagnosed as a pinched nerve). Chad Henne would come in and help get the needed first downs for the Chiefs to win. Kansas City would survive with a 22-17 victory.
The Chiefs last opponent from a Super Bowl berth was the Buffalo Bills. Both teams had meet earlier in the regular season as the Chiefs would beat the Bills 26-17 on the road in Orchard Park. The game was reminiscent of some of the playoff games that the 2019 Chiefs had dealt with as the Bills would go up 9-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. Kansas City would answer back with 21 points scored in the 2nd quarter. Instead of touchdowns, the Bills would resort to field goals. They couldn't stop the Chiefs machine. Kansas City would not let Buffalo back in the game as they would win 38-24 enroute to their 2nd straight Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LV will be the Kansas City Chiefs' 4th Super Bowl Appearance in their history. The Chiefs would lose in Super Bowl I to the Green Bay Packers. They would win their 1st Super Bowl in Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings. Their championship drought would end as they would beat the San Francisco 49ers to win their 2nd Super Bowl in Super Bowl LIV.
Super Bowl LV Broadcaster
The television broadcaster for Super Bowl LV will be CBS. This will be CBS's 22nd Super Bowl (including Super Bowls: I (with NBC), II, IV, VI, VII, X, XII, XIV, XVI XVIII, XXI, XXIV, XXVI, XXXV, XXXVIII, XLI, XLIV, XLVII, 50, and LIII). Doing the play-by-play commentary will be Jim Nantz who will be calling his 6th Super Bowl for CBS. His color commentator will be Tony Romo who will be calling his 2nd Super Bowl for the network.
NFL Throwback
When I had to dig through the annals of NFL history between the matchups of the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they weren't great. For most of their history, both teams had either been terrible or just had plain bad luck. However, one matchup in 1979 seemed to be just about as interesting as any.
This 1979 meeting between both teams was held in Week 16 of the regular season. The setting was in Tampa Stadium. One team looked like it was going in a positive direction and the other was just trying to look for a direction.
Kansas City was looking for its first non-losing season since 1973. Marv Levy was in his 2nd year at the helm for KC. This season would mark an improvement for the Chiefs as they had went 4-12 in 1978. Unlike the Chiefs of today, the 1979 Chiefs had one of the most inept passing games in the NFL that season with a droopy 103.8 passing yards/game.
Tampa Bay was in the midst of a playoff berth, a winning season, and a division title. It would be a season of firsts for the franchise that had just won only seven games from 1976 to 1978. You have to remember that this team started 0-26 in 1976 and well into 1977. The team was coached by former USC head coach John McKay who was entering his fourth season at Tampa.
Both teams would be greeted but not just each other but mother nature herself. During the duration of the game the weather would be drenching as rain fell like cats and dogs on both teams. The play on the field was pitiful as the Buccaneers gave up seven turnovers. The Chiefs would not capitalize on them. If you stepped on the field it felt like slosh all over.
To add to the conditions, the scoring would be at a premium as the only score was a Neil Donoughue field goal that would give the Buccaneers a 3-0 victory. It would be the Buccaneers first shutout in their history. The game helped clinched Tampa Bay's first NFC Central division title.
In the end, the Chiefs would rebound in 1980 to post their first non-losing season since 1973 and would have a 9-7 record in 1981. The success would not last as 1982 would be Marv Levy's last season as head coach, finishing with a 3-6 record. The Chiefs would not make it back to the playoffs until 1986.
For the Buccaneers the 1979 season marked a great success. They would go on to win their first playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles 24-17. Their run of luck would end in the NFC Championship Game where they were held to 9-0 against the Los Angeles Rams. The Bucs would continue to have some playoff success in 1981 but would lose badly to the Dallas Cowboys 38-0. They would not make it back to the playoffs until 1997.
It seems interesting to me that this game would be held in Tampa. Perhaps it is even more interesting to see how bad these two teams played that day and how their fortunes have changed since then. Such is life in the NFL as you can be bad one year and then great the next.
Super Bowl LV: Keys to the Game
The Super Bowl is really and truly a game of matchups. A sort of chess match to decide who wins it all. Fortunately both teams had played each other once already this season. The 27-24 win for the Chiefs can be a bit telling. It could be a game where it could play the same result. I would like to beg to differ. It feels like you can benefit from having played a team already to correct what you did wrong. Here's my keys to the game for both teams.
Kansas City:
Get everyone else involved other than Tyreek Hill: The Buccaneers might trying to cover Tyreek Hill who had ran over the Bucs in their regular season matchup. Travis Kelce could be a big factor in this game.
Pressure Tom Brady often: Tom Brady is only Tom Brady when you give him time in the pocket. Pressuring him will make him break eventually. Just check how the Giants pressured and sacked him in those Super Bowls.
Keep Patrick Mahomes upright: kind of the same as key #2 except for your side.
Tampa Bay:
Protect the Football: Tampa's last game against the Packers was kind of a wakeup call as Tom Brady had thrown the football to the opposition. Green Bay didn't take advantage of the opportunities. Kansas City will not.
Keep Patrick Mahomes off the field: Your offense will have great luck if they can stay on the field for every second it can. That means running the football and passing the football as well.
Keep an eye on Tyreek Hill at all times: double team him, triple team him, do whatever you can. Don't let him beat you, make Sammy Watkins beat you.
Super Bowl Pick
Super Bowl LV seems to be a matchup of two great quarterbacks with their supporting casts. Both teams have great offenses that seem to be well rounded. What I question is how good can either team's defense be in this game. Anything can really happen in this game but I feel it will come down to the defense. So my pick for the Super Bowl winner is...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay will be playing at home for a Super Bowl for the first time in the history of the Super Bowl. I feel that they will take advantage of it being at Raymond James Stadium. They possess the offense that can keep the Chiefs off the field. Tom Brady is the only quarterback to have beaten Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. You'd have to remember that Brady beat him in the 2018 AFC Championship Game. I do like the Bucs defense a bit more than the Chiefs. Will they win? hard to say but hopefully it will be a game for the ages.
Super Bowl Record:
Super Bowl XXXII: Packers vs Broncos (lost) Super Bowl XXXIII: Broncos vs Falcons (won) Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams vs Titans (won) Super Bowl XXXV: Ravens vs Giants (lost) Super Bowl XXXVI: Rams vs Patriots (lost) Super Bowl XXXVII: Raiders vs Buccaneers (lost) Super Bowl XXXVIII: Panthers vs Patriots (won) Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots vs Eagles (won) Super Bowl XL: Steelers vs Seahawks (lost) Super Bowl XLI: Colts vs Bears (won) Super Bowl XLII: Giants vs Patriots (lost) Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs Cardinals (lost) Super Bowl XLIV: Saints vs Colts (won) Super Bowl XLV: Steelers vs Packers (won) Super Bowl XLVI: Giants vs Patriots (lost) Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens vs 49ers (lost) Super Bowl XLVIII: Seahawks vs Broncos (lost) Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots vs Seahawks (lost) Super Bowl 50: Panthers vs Broncos (lost) Super Bowl LI: Patriots vs Falcons (won) Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs Patriots (lost) Super Bowl LIII: Rams vs Patriots (won) Super Bowl LIV: 49ers vs Chiefs (lost)
