...And TSFJ's Predictions Get it Wrong!
Defending champions Kansas City Chiefs suffered defeat at the hands of Tom Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were the first team to compete on home soil in Super Bowl history.
Tom Brady showed the world once again why he is considered to be the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), adding a 7th Super Bowl ring to his collection.
It was Brady’s first season with his new team after leaving Foxborough and the Patriots at the end of last season, and he headed to Tampa, Florida. He set his sights on success early on, and eventually led Tampa Bay to the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes was looking to add back-to-back Super Bowl wins to his resume – something that hasn’t been achieved since Brady and his Patriots back in 2003 and 2004. Unfortunately, the loss meant his quest was unsuccessful in doing so with an underwhelming performance.
Record-breaking Brady
Tom Brady, at 43 years old, made history at the Raymond James stadium, breaking a number of records during the Buc’s emphatic win. First of all, the Tampa QB was named Super Bowl MVP for a record-breaking 5th time in NFL history.
On top of that, Brady joins former QB and new hall-of-fame inductee Peyton Manning in the record books, as one of the only two QBs to win a Super Bowl with multiple franchises.
Brady and Tight End Rob Gronkowski combined (unsurprisingly) for two TDs, and made history in the process. At Super Bowl LV, the pair connected for two TDs, and surpassed NFL legends Joe Montana and Jerry Rice for most scores by a duo in NFL playoff history (14), as well as Super Bowl history (5).
The Game
The eagerly-awaited match had both teams starting nervously, as both traded in punts in the first three phases of the game. This was until Bucs’ kicker Harrison Butker kicked a field goal to get Tampa Bay on the board first.
Brady showcased his ability, passing for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns, completing 21 out of 29 passes. The star QB had an almost-perfect first half, throwing all 3 of his TDs before half-time – twice to Gronk, and the other strike to receiver Antonio Brown.
It was a completely contrasting display from Mahomes and co., who never seemed to get going as they have done all season. The Chiefs couldn’t gain momentum at any point during the game, and came away without scoring a TD in the most important 60 minutes of the season.
With a makeshift offensive line due to injury, the Chiefs struggled to contain the hungry and relentless Bucs’ defense. Chiefs’ stars such as Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce couldn’t make their mark on the game either, with the Bucs’ secondary keeping their end of the bargain and covering them effectively.
Chiefs Underwhelm
Overall, it was an underwhelming performance from the Chiefs, who couldn’t seem to get going throughout the game. On top of that, the Bucs’ pass rush constantly forced mistakes from Mahomes and the entire Chiefs’ offense.
Meanwhile, the pressure of Brady and co. was too much for the Chiefs’ D, who initially started strong, but in the end could not keep up with the Bucs’ offensive force. They also had themselves to blame, giving up avoidable penalties in the game – with some coming at key points of the match.
Patrick Mahomes tried his best, despite a foot injury that was evidently bothering him towards the end, and managed to improvise some special plays, but to no avail.