What you need to know before watching Super Bowl LV
By Kellen Woodcock ‘21
As Super Bowl LV approaches, here are some key storylines to watch for as the Kansas City Chiefs look to defend their title against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Battle of the Quarterbacks:
This Super Bowl features one of the best QB matchups of all time, with Tampa’s Tom Brady facing off with Patrick Mahomes. Brady is widely considered the greatest of all time, having won six Super Bowls in his career, while Mahomes is the best young QB in the NFL, having already won an MVP and Super Bowl despite this being only his third year starting. This is Brady’s first year with Tampa, as he signed a two year deal with them after his 20-Year run with the New England Patriots.
High-Powered Offenses:
Generally, with great QB play, a great offense follows, which is certainly the case for both these teams. The Chiefs averaged a league best 415 yards per game (ypg) in the regular season and have bumped that up to 439 ypg in the postseason. The Buccaneers were not far behind averaging 384 ypg in the regular season and 390 ypg in the postseason.
Some names to watch for the Chiefs are receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce, both of whom were in the top 10 for receiving yards during the regular season.
Although their numbers aren’t as gaudy as the duo from Kansas City, receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans have both put up great numbers despite missing time due to injury. With both of them healthy, they’re as dangerous as any duo in the league.
Rookie Standouts:
Both teams have gotten significant production on offense and defense this year from rookie players. At right tackle, Tristan Wirfs (Round 1, pick 13) has been as solid as it gets for the Buccaneers this year, allowing only one sack despite playing over 1000 snaps. On defense, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (Round 2, pick 45) has been clutch all year, coming up with big plays in crunch time.
For the Chiefs, Running Back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Round 1, pick 32) has slotted into the starting lineup and finished fourth among all rookies in rushing yards in Kansas City’s passing focused attack. On the defensive side of the ball, Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (Round 4, pick 138) earned Pro Football Focus’s highest grade among rookie corners.
What the Fans are Saying:
Dawn Iwamasa, who moved to Kansas City two years ago, has embraced the Chiefs and cheered for them the past few years. She’s been a fan of many teams, but says the Chiefs feel different.
“With some teams, when they’re down, you feel like they’re out of the game. That’s not the case with the Chiefs,” said Iwamasa.
She also spoke about the experience that the Chiefs have, mentioning that “a lot of key players that won them the Super Bowl last year are still on the team”
Although the Chiefs have experience, no one has experience on the big stage like Tom Brady. Tommy Antonoglou, a Toronto native, and an avid Buccaneers fan, thinks that the Buccaneers will win because “they have an experienced quarterback, a balanced, spread out offense, and a great run defense.”
Anonoglou believes that Tampa can eliminate the Chiefs’ run game and will be able to sell out to stop the pass more, leading to close victory.
Wrap Up:
From whatever angle you look at it, Super Bowl LV is shaping up to be an all-time classic. Between the QB battles, two great offenses, and the young rookie talent, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are sure to excite all viewers.