Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl prediction, game preview.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers Broadcast
Date: Sunday, February 7
Game Time: 6:30 ET
Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Network: CBS
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
Super Bowl: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14-5) vs Kansas City Chiefs (16-2) Game Preview
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Why Tampa Bay Will Win The Super Bowl
The defense has taken things to another level at just the right time.
It was terrific throughout the season and outstanding against the run throughout, but with the pressure on down the stretch, the D has improved, it continues to be a takeaway machine, and it was able to stuff New Orleans and Green Bay on the road to get the first ever home Super Bowl.
Don’t blow off how important it is that this is in Tampa Bay. Not only is this Super Bowl without all meaningless overblown hoo-ha of normal, but the teams are taking very different paths.
Kansas City is preparing at home – almost like it’s a regular road game – while the Buccaneers are practicing in their normal surroundings, they’re staying in their own beds, and in a year when the home field advantage crowd-wise doesn’t really matter, they’re able to truly make this like it’s a pumped up Sunday night Week 11 game.
On the field, Kansas City isn’t going to run much against the No. 1 run defense in the NFL, it’s not going to get its normal passing game going against one of the best teams in the league at preventing the big play, and then there’s that guy on the other side.
Don’t just assume the Tampa Bay offense is going to move because Tom Brady is in a Super Bowl, but it’s not a bad thing. He threw two picks in the first meeting against the two, but he also threw three interceptions in the NFC Championship win over Green Bay. The team was able to overcome the mistakes because of, again …
The defense.
This is where having two weeks off should help. In the first game – a 27-24 KC win, by the way – it was the end of a 12-game run before the Bucs got their bye week. The team was leaking oil with two losses in a row before getting the time off, and it hasn’t lost since.
Kansas City was a week removed from its bye.
But about that Tampa Bay defense …
– Why Kansas City Will Win
– What’s Going To Happen, Who’ll Win
NEXT: Why Kansas City Will Win The Super Bowl
Why Kansas City Will Win The Super Bowl
Yeah, the Tampa Bay defense is playing well.
It’s been fantastic in the playoffs against Hall of Famers Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, it’s been outstanding at forcing mistakes with 11 takeaways in the last five games, and it gave up Kansas City’s biggest offensive day of the season
The Chiefs cranked out 543 yards in the win in Tampa, Patrick Mahomes went off, the O had the ball for close to 37 minutes, and it was a better win than the 27-24 final score with the Bucs scoring two touchdowns late.
The Kansas City attack struggled against Cleveland once Mahomes was knocked out, but it was unstoppable before that, and it rolled at relative will against Buffalo after it got going in the second quarter.
– CFN Experts Picks: Kansas City vs Tampa Bay
Yeah, the Tampa Bay defense is the best in the NFL in several areas, but the Kansas City D has stepped up its play in the post-season, too. Cleveland was able to work a little bit, and Josh Allen and the Bills had their moments, but the Chief D is getting the job done with good pressure and enough third down stops to get by.
But of course it’s about the offense with KC. Tyreek Hill isn’t going to catch 13 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns like he did in the first meeting, but he’s going to be rested and healthy. Mahomes will be several weeks past his concussion, and the team will be a wee bit fresher thanks to that playoff bye.
Thanks to not needing Week 17, most of the key parts have played just two games that matter in the last six weeks. Tampa Bay had to keep pressing until the finish line.
– What’s Going To Happen, Who’ll Win
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Who’s Going To Win The Super Bowl
What’s Going To Happen, Who’s Going To Win The Super Bowl
Leonard Fournette.
The Tampa Bay running back didn’t get a whole lot of work during the season, but when the playoffs kicked in he was unwrapped with 48 carries in the three games after carrying it 49 all season long.
He’s not running for big yards, but he has a touchdown in each of the three games and is coming up with the tough runs to help set a tone.
Oh sure, this will be Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes in a whole slew of ways, but it’ll be the hard running of Fournette early on that will let Bucs settle in.
The Bucs will take a first quarter lead as Mahomes and company struggle just a wee bit, but everyone will wait for the explosion to come, because that’s what Kansas City does.
Blink, and 21 points later it’s all Chiefs … but that’s not going to happen.
Tampa Bay doesn’t do anything to control the clock, but Brady will be great on third downs, the defense will come up with just enough stops in the second half to force field goals against touchdowns, and Fournette will be the hammer to close it all out before Brady hits that one big third down throw to end it.
It’ll be Brady’s MVP – just because – but the defense and running game will allow that to happen.
– CFN Experts Picks: Kansas City vs Tampa Bay
Super Bowl: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs Prediction, Line
Tampa Bay 30, Kansas City 23
Bet on NFL Playoffs with BetMGM
Kansas City -3.5, o/u: 56
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
Must See Rating: 5
5: Not paying attention to one minute of Super Bowl pregame
1: Media whining about this not being a normal Super Bowl
