For the fifth time this year, I was wrong about the Bucs. The Bucs proved me wrong one last time, in spectacular fashion, drumming Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9, and winning Super Bowl LV.
Before we get into this, let’s break what just happened down from a statistical standpoint, similar to what I did with the Saints game.
- Tom Brady now has more Super Bowls than any other NFL team.
- This was the first time Patrick Mahomes has ever lost by double digits in the NFL, and only his second loss in the last 27 games (regular and postseason combined).
- A streaker in the fourth quarter reached the end zone more often than the Chiefs’ offense did.
- The Chiefs committed 11 penalties for 120 yards (95 coming in the first half, the most in Super Bowl history).
- Bruce Arians becomesthe oldest head coach to win a Super Bowl at 68.
- Tom Brady and Gronk set records for most TD connections in the playoffs (14) and the Super Bowl (four).
- Bruce Arians’ 95-year-old mother, Catherine, got to witness her son win his first Super Bowl as a head coach (and let’s be honest, she really should have won the Super Bowl MVP).
This is just unreal. I mean, for the past decade-and-a-half, the Bucs have been the butt of every joke. It’s where players went to die, or had their careers wasted.
Remember Darelle Revis? How about the great Vincent Jackson? Or the phenomenal Gerald McCoy? I mean, Mike Evans probably would have joined this list of really great players who wasted years of their career in Tampa had it not been for TB12.
But enough of the tortured past. Let’s appreciate what they’ve got now.
Tampa Bay's entire defense played absolutely out of its mind. I mean, one of the most thoroughly dominant performances I’ve seen from a defense in recent memory. It was reminiscent of the last time the Bucs won the Super Bowl, with Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp.
The Chiefs did not reach the end zone. Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions, one to Devin White, the other to Antoine Winfield, Jr. (who managed to sneak in a little diss to Tyreek Hill at the end of the fourth quarter after a pass breakup). Shaq Barrett, Ndamukong Suh, and Jason Pierre-Paul all contributed to what was a nightmarish pass rush for Mahomes.
Tyrann Mathieu decided at the end of the first half to piss off an already hot Tom Brady, which pretty much sealed the Chiefs’ fate.
Speaking of the now five-time Super Bowl MVP, Brady and Gronk had the connection going, with Gronk bringing in a pair of touchdowns. Playoff Lenny (Fournette) struck again, running for 89 yards and a touchdown. Ronald Jones III contributed where he could, running for 61 yards.
It was one of the most complete team efforts that you’ll ever see, and it was played in the Super Bowl by the Tampa Bay Bucs. I mean, how sweet is this? When TB12 announced his decision to take his talents to Titletown (yes, I’m calling it that now), he raised the level of everyone in the building. He attracted Gronk and Leonard Fournette and Antonio Brown, all of whom scored a TD Sunday night. And this defense just kept doing its thing.
This season, though, they didn’t have to compete with their QB throwing 30 picks.
And now the Bucs are Super Bowl champions.
Fire those damn cannons.
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