We have a matchup between two generations of quarterbacks when the ageless Tom Brady leads the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady, 43, was finishing high school when his counterpart, Patrick Mahomes, 25, was born, to give you a sense of the difference between their ages. Brady will appear in a Super Bowl for the tenth time, with a chance to win his seventh title. If the Bucs win, Brady would be just the second quarterback to win Super Bowls for two teams, joining Peyton Manning (Indianapolis and Denver). Craig Morton (Denver and Dallas) and Kurt Warner (the then-St. Louis Rams and Arizona) are the only other quarterbacks who have started Super Bowls with two teams.
Take a look at our NFL betting thoughts on this matchup, now just six days away.
NFL News: Updated Super Bowl Betting Preview
Open: Kansas City Chiefs -3.5, O/U 57.5
Current: Kansas City Chiefs -3, O/U 56.5
Mahomes, of course, is no stranger to this level of playoff pressure. He has played in three straight AFC Championships and is about to play in his second straight Super Bowl. He answered a lot of questions in his team’s 38-24 win over Buffalo in the AFC Championship, after a concussion sent him out of the divisional playoff against Cleveland and the Chiefs spent much of the season appearing to tread water for much of the game, only putting in what seemed like effort when they needed to, in order to get the win.
Kansas City’s defense was even more impressive than the showing from the Chiefs’ offense, dousing a Buffalo offense had been one of the hottest in the NFL ahead of the AFC Championship. Using a combination of different coverages and blitz packages, the Chiefs were able to keep Josh Allen from torching the secondary like he had against other teams down the stretch. Meanwhile, the Chiefs were able to move the ball at will against the Bills, turning an early 9-0 deficit (after a potentially disastrous muffed punt near their own end zone) into that 38-24 victory.
The Chiefs also knocked off Tom Brady and the Bucs once already this season, winning 27-24 down in Tampa in late November. The Chiefs were able to run out to an early 17-0 lead, as Tyreek Hill had two touchdown catches and over 200 receiving yards in the first quarter alone. However, Tampa Bay was able to claw its way back. The Chiefs flipped the switch back on in the fourth quarter, though, controlling the ball for over two-thirds of the period. They did permit a late Tampa Bay touchdown but then ran out the clock, as Brady could not get the ball back.
The Buccaneers’ run has been impressive in its own right. They went to Washington as a road favorite and weathered the storm from the Football Team’s defensive front and a Cinderella night from fourth-string quarterback Taylor Heinicke. Then they went to New Orleans and beat a Saints team that had swept them during the regular season. The key came in terms of takeaways, as four New Orleans turnovers gave Tampa Bay enough short fields to eke out the win.
In Green Bay, Tampa Bay actually lost the interception battle as Brady threw three picks while Aaron Rodgers only threw two. However, the Buccaneers were able to turn turnovers into points, while the Buccaneers did just enough in terms of pressuring Rodgers (and got a late pass interference penalty to keep the ball and run out the clock) to get the win. Can Brady do it again?
Both Brady and Mahomes have elite weapons to catch the ball — and they both have above-average tailbacks to give the offense balance. My take on this game is to go with the “over,” because these two teams have what it takes to put on a track meet, and Brady won’t struggle for most of the first half like he did when they met the first time.
NFL Betting Odds
Love betting NFL football? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date NFL lines
