In a year already full of ~gestures wildly~ you may have forgotten that there’s a little game happening this weekend. Here’s what you need to know.
OK, Who’s Playing?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (equipped with QB Tom Brady, aka Tampa Tom) vs. the Kansas City Chiefs (led by former underdog and current perennial favorite Andy Reid, who’s fresh off a 2020 Super Bowl win).
So, What’s the Story?
Kansas City is the first team to go to back-to-back Super Bowls since, you guessed it, New England, in 2004 and 2005. Why should you have guessed that? Because it was Tom Brady’s home for 20 frickin’ seasons.
Tom Brady is out to prove that Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick was not responsible for his six Super Bowl rings. Tom is 43 years old. He’s the oldest quarterback in the league — and five years away from the oldest QB of all time (George Blanda).
Brady, the golden boy, will face off against the up-and-coming great, Patrick Mahomes. He’s is on a mission to be declared the GOAT. And to prove old(er) men still got game.
What Do These Boys Have Going for Them?
The Chiefs’ Find their Strength in a Grizzled Offense. This team boasts one of the fastest, most explosive offenses in the NFL; and even when they’re forced to slow down, they still find ways to win.
The Buccaneers are Hungry. Most of the players are there. To Win. A Championship. Now. The guys who were there before Brady were there for Jameis Winston, who would throw 30 TDs but also 30 interceptions. They were there for coaching changes. Now, they’ve brought in THE GUY. It’s their time. They’re here to claim it.
OK, What’s the Risks?
It took the Buccaneers a while to find a groove. It took the Buccanneers more than half of the season to get into this Super Bowl form. They’ve made it this far and smashed through Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers to get here. But we don’t know if they will unravel — if that cohesion that they’ve worked so hard to achieve will fall apart.
The Chiefs could stand in their own way. The Chiefs are so good that the only thing that can stop the Chiefs is the Chiefs. If they stay in character, they’re unstoppable. If they let themselves make little mistakes, they’re done for.
And Now, a Prediction
We’ve been struggling with this all week. We can say it’s poised to be the best Super Bowl in years — because great players make great things happen.
It might just come down to who has the ball last.
