Super Bowl LV Viewers Guide: Matchups, Odds, Storylines and More
We made it, football fans.
Yes, through careful planning, flexibility, vigilance and perseverance, the 2020 NFL season played out in its entirety despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic.
And today it all comes to a head when the two best teams in football, the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, slug it out for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LV.
There are any number of story lines in this year’s Super Bowl, starting with the battle between the GOAT—Tom Brady, who is taking on his 10th career Super Bowl and his first as a member of the Bucs—and young Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, who is looking to win his second championship in a row.
Then there is the story of the two defensive coordinators who had stints as head coaches in New York, Steve Spagnuolo of the Chiefs, who was Giants interim head coach in 2017, and Todd Bowles of the Bucs who was the Jets head coach from 2015-18.
Each will be looking to outwit two of the very best quarterbacks in the league at the moment, but only one will come out on top.
And there is the inspiring story of Bucs defensive end (and former Giant) Jason Pierre-Paul, who after suffering a permanently disfigured hand due to a fireworks accident in 2014, and a broken neck suffered in a car crash last year, is seeking his second Super Bowl championship, as he continues to prove to his critics (and in particular a Giants team that didn’t see the value in carrying his contract) that he still ahs a lot of football left.
So get ready for what should be an all-time classic, a game that has the potential to be a high-scoring affair but which will probably be a lot tither than what these two teams are used to playing. And get all the information you need to know ahead of the big game right here.
Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs (16-2) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14-5)
Date/Time: Sunday, February 7, 2021, 6:30 PM ET
Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Referee: Carl Cheffers
Postseason Series History: This is the first postseason meeting between the Chiefs and Bucs.
TV: CBS/CBS All Access/ESPN Desportes)
Broadcast Crew: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson (field reporter), Evan Washburn (field reporter), Jay Feely (field reporter)
Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner, Tony Boselli, Laura Okmin
Spread (via BetMGM): Chiefs -3 (-115) / Bucs +3 (-109)
Money Lines: Chiefs -159, Bucs +135
Over/Under: Chiefs O 56.5 / Bucs U 56.5
Injury Reports: The Chiefs listed OT Eric Fisher (Achilles) and LB Willie Gay (knee/ankle) as out, and WR Sammy Watkins (calf) as questionable. The Bucs listed TE Cameron Brate (back) and WR Antonio Brown (knee) as questionable.
What to Watch For: Bucs Edition
- QB Tom Brady needs 4 touchdown passes to tie Joe Flacco (11 in 2012), Joe Montana (11 in 1989) and Kurt Warner (11 in 2008) for the most passing touchdowns in a single postseason in NFL history.
- Brady needs 360 PASSING YDS to surpass Eli Manning (1,219 in 2011) for the most passing yards in a single postseason in NFL history.
- With a win, Brady will join Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to win Super Bowls with multiple franchises.
- Tight end Rob Gronkowski needs 100 YARDS to surpass Vernon Davis (four) and set an NFL postseason record for the most 100- yard receiving performances by a tight end.
- Defensive back Sean Murphy-Bunting needs 1 interception to record his fourth-career postseason interception, setting a new Buccaneers franchise record.
What to Watch For: Chiefs Edition
- Patrick Mahomes becomes the youngest quarterback in NFL history to start two Super Bowls.
- Head coach Andy Reid is lookin to become the 14th head coach in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowls.
Prediction:
Chiefs 31, Bucs 28: In what I view as one of, if not the biggest on-field matchups, the Chiefs offensive line comes up with a way to keep that Bucs defensive pass rush at bay, giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes just enough space to eke out a come-from-behind game-winning drive that ends in a field goal.
