Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs NFL

[Tom]

Kansas City Chiefs (16-2) v Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14-5)

When: Sunday 7th February 11.30pm (Irish Time)

Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida.

Referee: Carl Cheffers (2nd time)

Broadcasters: CBS (Sky & BBC in UK)

Announcers: Jim Nantz and Tony Romo

Odds: Chiefs 4/7, Buccaneers 29/20 (see more....)

Half Time Show: The Weeknd

The Buccaneers will become the first team in the NFL history to play in the Super Bowl in their own stadium. 2001 was the last time Raymond James hosted the showpiece game with the Baltimore Ravens crushing the New York Giants.

Tampa Bay QB, Tom Brady will be extending his record by appearing in his 10th Superbowl.

Due to COVID-19 protocols there will only be 22,000 spectators in attendance.

The Kansas City Chiefs are aiming to become the first team to retain the Vince Lombardi Trophy since the 2004 New England Patriots while the Buccaneers are aiming to win a second crown after clinching their first title after the 2002 season when Jon Gruden was at the helm.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid will lead a side to the Super Bowl for the third time while for The Buccaneers, Bruce Arians will make his head coaching debut.

Referee, Carl Cheffers is officiating the big game for the second time in his career after taking charge of Super Bowl LI.

Sarah Thomas will become the first woman to officiate in a Super Bowl on 7 February. In 2019, Thomas became the first woman to officiate an NFL play-off game, four years after she became the league's first full-time female official.

 

[Bandit]

In Mahomes we trust, it's that simple. The bloke is ridiculous. Yes, he has a serious supporting cast but the way he avoids the sack and throws dimes is next level. With him healthy you can't but be confident. He's never lost an NFL game by more than a single score which is insane coming to the end of year three as a starter.

The Buccaneers are dangerous of course and the loss of Eric Fisher is a very bad but this is the best offense in football and the defense has shown up big time in the playoffs.

 

[Mouth]

Can't see past the Chiefs here. The 3 point difference between them in regular season game flattered the Buccaneers. The Chiefs destroyed them through the air and were 0 from 3 in the redzone. I know they went cover 2 later in game after the disaster of leaving Carlton Davis in man coverage on Hill but it is pick your poison with Mahomes and blitzing him just doesn't work yet Todd Bowles loves to blitz. Can't see him changing that for the final regardless of it being Mahomes he is facing.

Fisher is a big loss for the Chiefs OL but honestly don't think it matters given how elusive Mahomes is and how he can make plays out of the pocket. I expect Andy Reid and Chiefs to go back to back here.

 

[Ray Gin]

All the talk leading up to the Super Bowl will be Brady vs Mahomes.

On one side, you've got the GOAT. On the other, you've got someone who has a legitimate chance to eventually claiming that title. Beating Tampa Bay would go a long way towards that and keep him on pace with Brady's two Super Bowl wins in first four seasons. And not that Brady needs to add anything to his CV to solidify GOAT status, but winning in his first year after leaving the Patriots and Belichick to a team that finished 7-9 the year before, would be a fecking amazing accomplishment.

Looking forward to a great game on Feb 7.

 

[Birdman]

Can't see past the Chiefs here. The 3 point difference between them in regular season game flattered the Buccaneers. The Chiefs destroyed them through the air and were 0 from 3 in the redzone. I know they went cover 2 later in game after the disaster of leaving Carlton Davis in man coverage on Hill but it is pick your poison with Mahomes and blitzing him just doesn't work yet Todd Bowles loves to blitz. Can't see him changing that for the final regardless of it being Mahomes he is facing.

Fisher is a big loss for the Chiefs OL but honestly don't think it matters given how elusive Mahomes is and how he can make plays out of the pocket. I expect Andy Reid and Chiefs to go back to back here.

I agree to a certain extent but a huge factor in the first game was the time that Mahomes got to pick his passes.

With Vita Vea back the Buccaneers will have massive pressure coming inside from himself and Suh which will force Mahomes into Shaq Barrett or JPP. Losing Fisher compounds that.

The Bucs will have learned a huge amount from that game and have 2 weeks to try a limit the damage that Hill and Kelce caused in the regular season game.

I still expect the Chiefs to find a way but if the Bucs front 4 manage to get to Mahomes and for Devin White to be tasked with spying Mahomes for the night.

 

[David76]

The hope I would have for the Buccaneers, is that they did a solid job of containing the Chiefs in the 2nd half in the regular season game. Granted, Hill had eviscerated them at that stage, but one takes solace where one can.

If the Buccaneers can avoid a slow start, they'll be in with a shout. Their defense is better than the Chiefs, so if they can keep pace offensively, they have a chance. Having Vea back is massive. He allows them to generate pressure with a 4 man rush, which opens up the ability to double Hill and Kelce.

 

[Legion]

The Chiefs seem to have shaken off the cobwebs and looked close to being themselves against the Bills. I think they'll probably kick it up another notch now that they have the back to back within grasp. I got both games wrong last week but I thought the Bills had a good chance as the Chiefs weren't firing on all cylinders. I can't see them slipping back to the regular season malaise.

 

[Steve]

 https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1355146823426572288

You would hope they are all being sensible and careful

 

[David76]

The Chiefs have two on the Covid list as they are close contacts to a positive case. One a backup center, Kilgore and the other second WR Robinson.

Expectation is if they test negative they will be available for Sunday.

A nightmare scenario for the NFL would be a covid outbreak in one of the teams between now and Sunday.

 

[Gromit]

I'd be happy to see Brady and Gronk get another ring, fairytale stuff but its very hard to look past the Chiefs. Overall just a better team, but hopefully its a close one coming to the final stretch and it could be a case of whoever has the ball last wins