Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski celebrating their Super Bowl LV win
It didn't take long for the Buccaneers to prove who wanted to win this game more as Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl title.
The Chiefs struck first on a 49 yard field goal from Harrison Butker to go up 3-0 early in the first quarter. But the Buccaneers came back on the very next drive, gaining 75 yards on eight plays, and we saw Tom Brady connect with Rob Gronkowski for the first of two scores on the day. Tampa never let their foot off the pedal after that scoring drive, and they never relinquished the lead from that point on. The Bucs went on to easily win Super Bowl LV 31-9.
Rob Gronkowski now has at least one reception in 5 Super Bowls, which is the most in #NFL history https://t.co/16YVjf4EKC— NFL Stats (@NFL Stats) 1612743772.0
The dream matchup between Brady and Mahomes ended up being a bit of a letdown, but don't put this all on the Chiefs' quarterback. Don't forget that they entered the Super Bowl fresh off losing starting left tackle, Eric Fisher, to a season-ending injury in the AFC Championship game against Buffalo. It could have been the final blow to an offensive line unit that was already without most of its starters most of the season.
Jason Alexander hoodie playing behind the Chiefs offensive line https://t.co/qwOWAt9RHD— Korked Bats (@Korked Bats) 1612746294.0
The Bucs defense shouldn't be overlooked, as they stifled one of the most prolific offensive units the league has ever seen. Tyreek Hill was held to just two catches for 13 yards until he caught his third pass with 1:13 left in the third quarter.
Tyreek Hill gave Antoine Winfield Jr. the peace sign in the regular season 👀 Winfield got the last laugh.… https://t.co/8XfJnL8lc7— Bleacher Report (@Bleacher Report) 1612753385.0
Although we should credit the work Todd Bowles' defense did in coverage, it was their pass rush that suffocated Mahomes throughout the game forcing him to constantly be running for his life outside the pocket and taking frequent visits to the turf.
How about that Bucs defense, though? https://t.co/334qyLKfb4— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 1612751602.0
The combination of Jason Pierre-Paul, Vita Vea, Ndamukong Suh, Steve McClendon, and Shaq Barrett was too much for the Chiefs' makeshift line to handle, and they sacked Mahomes three times during the game.
Penalties also played a huge role in preventing the Chiefs from getting back into contention. They accumulated eight penalties for 95 yards in the first half, which is now the the record for most in Super Bowl history. Kansas City finished the game with 11 penalties costing them 120 yards.
The Chiefs committed eight penalties in the first half. The MOST in a first half in Super Bowl history 😮 https://t.co/FPG2EcitUn— Sports Illustrated (@Sports Illustrated) 1612748332.0
On the other side, it was quite a different story. Brady felt in complete control from start to finish. The experience that he has in these big moments was evident from the moment that the Chiefs took the early lead.
Tampa was able to control the entire pace of the game by winning in the trenches on both the offensive and defensive ends. Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones II benefitted from their offensive line opening up big running lanes all night as they both averaged above five yards per carry. Fournette finished with 89 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown, and Jones had 61 yards on 12 carries.
Never to be outdone in a Super Bowl with his best bud TB12, Rob Gronkowski shocked the world by contributing two touchdowns on six receptions and gaining 67 yards through the air. In an offense that features Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown, very few could have expected Gronk to lead the team in receiving. Especially since it was just a year ago that he was hosting Wrestlemania during his short lived retirement.
IT’S OFFICIAL! GRONK IS THE GREATEST 24/7 CHAMP OF ALL TIME! @RobGronkowski @WWE https://t.co/2GT7PYhsw4— Mick Foley (@Mick Foley) 1612754088.0
It was only the second time in Mahomes' professional career that he's been held without a touchdown in a game. Maybe even more unbelievable is the fact that this is the first double-digit loss in Mahomes' pro career. Even though we didn't get the shootout we were hoping for, we at least got reassurance that Patrick Mahomes is human. He finished 26/49 for 270 yards and two interceptions. If you just saw the box score, you'd probably think it was a typo.
Pat Mahomes trying to find an open receiver https://t.co/THDsZwwO1P— Complex Sports (@Complex Sports) 1612750030.0
For Tom Brady, however, it was just another day at the office. Capping off another improbable year standing on a stage with confetti falling all around him while thanking his teammates and holding the Lombardi trophy. The 43-year-old quickly responded to whether he'll be back next season and said that both he and the Bucs plan to be back here next year. Judging by Tampa and Brady's performance in Super Bowl LV, they just may prove him right.
"I'm coming back." - @TomBrady #SBLV | @Buccaneers https://t.co/P7gl5xMf76— NFL (@NFL) 1612755178.0
No matter what the future holds for Tom Brady by winning his seventh Super Bowl, he becomes not only the winningest player in league history but has more championship wins than the two organizations with the most championship wins (those being the Pittsburgh Steelers and Brady's former team, the New England Patriots, with whom Brady won the first six of his championships).
At this point there really isn't a reason to hate Tom Brady anymore. It's rare that an athlete can separate him or herself so far from the rest of the competition and do it for so long. Even if you rooted against Tom Brady because he beat your team every time he played them, by now he's done it to everyone's team.
Although Brady seemingly intends to play until he's 50, the truth is eventually he won't be able to lead a team to a Super Bowl anymore. That will certainly make a lot of people rejoice, but for now we should really appreciate the fact that we've gotten to watch one of the best athletes in history be the definition of consistency and excellence for two decades. And he ain't done yet.
Mahomes and Brady display good sportsmanship after their Super Bowl preview game in the regular season.
The biggest game of the year is just a few short hours away, and that means you only have a few hours to get your last minute bets in for Super Bowl LV!
Championship Round Vibe Check (0-4)
For this game, it's going to be a Props-apalooza!! We will be running down props and picks to carry you from the first snap to the final play. Sure, making money is nice, but in this scenario, being invested the whole game is the goal. Let's begin!
First TD for the Bucs: Cameron Brate @ 10/1
Brate has been a sneakily fun target for Brady this season, especially since OJ Howard went down early in the year. The Harvard product has three TDs on the year, including one against the Packers, and has a catch every game going back to October. He's been scorching hot in the postseason, leading the team in red zone and end zone targets over that stretch. There are bigger, more reliable pass catchers on the team, but you absolutely gotta love these odds.
Mike Evans Will Score at least 1 TD +175
Speaking of better pass catchers, Mike Evans has been a dominant force for the Bucs, and Brady's most productive target this season. He had 13 TDs in the regular season, plus two in the last two playoff games. He presents a matchup nightmare anytime he steps on the field, and it stands to reason he'll get one.
Mike Evans’ stats today: 2 catches 2 yards 2 touchdowns https://t.co/gziYIIGGOP— Trevor Sikkema (@Trevor Sikkema) 1601243019.0
Travis Kelce and Mike Evans Both Score a TD +270
You've just heard my argument for Evans scoring during this game. Allow me to double down that same argument for Kelce. The man carried on the legacy of Tony Gonzalez, and become as hard to guard as any offensive player in the league. It certainly helps to have Tyreek Hill to take the top off and Patrick Mahomes who never lets a play die. Kelce comes in on a six game TD streak with two in his last games. Look for a score from the big man.
Tom Brady over .5 Rushing Yards +165
The patented Tom Brady Sneak™ is as potent as ever. Bruce Arians lives by the "No risk it, No biscuit" philosophy, so I have to believe as long as there's a 4th and 1 situation that the Bucs will pull this trick out. The biggest risk here is the off chance that Tampa wins and he kneels down the stretch, which could led to a bad backdoor beat.
Will There Be a Failed PAT? Yes +210
Harrison Butker has missed seven extra points this season, including one against the Browns in the divisional round. He was at 87.5% for the season, the lowest mark of his career. He even missed a 33 yard field goal in that Cleveland game, which is all the more astounding given his accuracy from further out. It was so bad he had to address the issue back in October. Ryan Succop, a great name Hall of Famer, has been similarly spotty on point after's this season. He's shanked five of his own, bringing his percentage to 91.2% on the year. My belief is there will be an abundance of scoring, giving ample chances to whiff for one of these guys. Given this is the biggest game of the year, I think it is fair to say there will be some frayed nerves and one miss between them.
Will Tyreek Hill Score A TD in the First Half? Yes +200
The last time that Tyreek Hill faced the Bucs D, he racked up 203 yards and two touchdowns... IN THE FIRST QUARTER. The Bucs did adjust well and held Tyreek in check for the rest of the game, but the explosive wide receiver can break for a touchdown anytime he touches the ball. The odds here are the main factor. Do I think Hill will score once in this game? Yes. Is it just as likely to happen in the second half? Maybe. But if I get a whole half to root for a score to happen that will almost definitely happen, sign me up.
Tyreek Hill is torching the Buccaneers with 203 yards and 2 TDs in the first quarter. https://t.co/KEbRin4m8o— USA TODAY NFL (@USA TODAY NFL) 1606687946.0
Will the Chiefs/Bucs Convert a Fourth Down? -140/-135
Andy Reid is famously aggressive. His belief in his offense's ability to convert fourth downs has become the stuff of legend (#HennethingIsPossible) and defenses curse his decision to keep them on the field one more play. This is absolutely a lock to happen, which is why I feel comfortable happily taking the minus odds to get some free money. Meanwhile, the Bucs, despite Arians' motto, notoriously wilt under the pressure of a fourth down. The Chiefs got for it on fourth down's under three yards to go half of the time, and the Bucs half that number down to 25%. The chances are the Bucs, possibly under the strain of the Chiefs relentless aerial attack, will be forced to take the plunge, at least, once. Maybe more if they hope to actually win.
Tom Brady and dogs dominate this prop bet primer
We've reached the pinnacle of the football season.
The Super Bowl is finally here, and the Buccaneers are looking to unseat the reigning world champion Chiefs.
For the rest of us that aren't fans of these two organizations, that means that we'll be outsiders looking in as their teams fight for the right to hoist the Lombardi trophy at the conclusion of this game. That also means that since there isn't a whole lot riding on this for the majority of NFL fans, we need to find ways to keep ourselves interested for four quarters of football.
Answer to this problem? Prop bets!
Because the Super Bowl is the only game in town, it's always been a beacon for some of the wildest prop bets we see all year. How often will COVID-19 be brought up during the telecast? How many times will we see dogs featured in commercials? Who gets more screen time between Gisele and Roger Goodell? These are all burning questions that we must know, and we want to put some money on it.
Let's take a look at some of the best prop bets you can place before the Super Bowl kicks off this Sunday.
All bets and odds are taken from BetMGM Sportsbook and Odds Shark unless otherwise noted. These bets are using moneyline odds which means the odds are represented by either being (+) or (-) an amount. For example if a bet's odds is +200, it would mean you would need to bet $100 to win $200. If a bet's odds is -200, it would mean you would need to bet $200 to win $100.
Due to the extended break between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, there is time to discuss the game, what we expect to see, and the storylines that makeup the matchup. One of those has been the achievements of Tom Brady, both in the past with New England and with what he's been able to accomplish in his first season with Tampa Bay this year.
Playoff Lenny 🤝 Old Head Brady #SuperBowl week is lit. 🔥 https://t.co/p4E4ZiMNl8— Stadium (@Stadium) 1612282493.0
Brady will undoubtedly be a focal point of conversation throughout the game and that brings us to our first prop bet.
The Bet: What will be mentioned first on the broadcast?
Odds: Tom Brady's 10th Super Bowl Appearance (-150) or Tom Brady's Age which is 43 (+110)
Our Pick: This is really a toss up. Most likely the two facts will be talked about at the top of the broadcast in short order. It will either be presented as, "The 43 year old is making his 10th Super Bowl appearance," or, "This is the 10th Super Bowl appearance for the 43 year old Brady." We're going with 10th Super Bowl Appearance at -150.
Another hot topic during the broadcast will be the Covid-19 pandemic and the work the NFL did to get through the season and to the Super Bowl. A second aspect of that will be talking about the job NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, did guiding the league to this accomplishment.
The Bet: What will be said first?
Odds: "COVID" (-500) or "Pandemic" (+300)
Our Pick: It seems most likely that during the broadcast an announcer will in this order say the words, "COVID-19 pandemic," but don't underestimate network television's ability to soften the blow when it comes to divisive or touchy subjects. A good way to do such a thing when addressing the pandemic is to lead with a less ostentatious "pandemic" mention before highlighting the notorious "COVID" on air during such a joyous event. We're going with "Pandemic" at +300.
deleteThe Bet: How many times will Roger Goodell be shown?
Odds: Over 1.5 (-140) or Under 1.5 (-140)
Our Pick: This is an even line with an over under of 1.5 times shown. Pick your own adventure! This is an easy over, go bet it now before the line changes. Taking the over at -140.
Speaking of screen time, another cut-away magnet during any Tom Brady Super Bowl is his wife, Gisele Bunchden. It's tough to know whether Gisele will even be at Raymond James Stadium for Super Bowl LV, but that doesn't necessarily mean she wouldn't be shown via social media live streams or posts.
The Bet: How many times will Gisele Bunchden be shown?
Odds: Over 1.5 (-250) or Under 1.5 (+170)
Our Pick: We're betting on Gisele staying home with her and Tom's lovely family, leaving viewers to focus on her husband trying to add another ring to his collection. Even if we get an Instagram post displayed, it's hard to imagine more than one. We are taking the under of 1.5 appearances for Gisele during the Super Bowl at +170.
Tom's other significant other, Bill Belichick, is likely to be mentioned as well. The question of whether Brady could make it without his former coach and vice versa has always been out there, but only now do we get to see if we get some conclusive evidence. It seems inevitable that Belichick is talked about multiple times during the broadcast, especially if we get a new Subway commercial from Hollywood Bill.
The Bet: How many times will Bill Belichick be mentioned?
Odds: More than once (-175) or Less than once (+135) via VegasOdds.com
Our Pick: The odds will be against you, but the smart money is going to be on betting the over of more than one mention of Bill Belichick at -175. If you have enough to put on this one that makes the return worth it for you take the over on this one.
At this point you have to be thinking to yourself: It's about time for one of these bets to be related to the Chiefs or Patrick Mahomes, since it seems like this is nearing the end of the article. You would be right about it being near the end, but you'd be wrong about the final prop bet to be about the the Chiefs or their star quarterback. The final prop we want to cover will likely determine how many people are feeling after the conclusion of Super Bowl LV.
The Bet: How many commercials will have a dog in it?
Odds: Over 4.5 (-250) or Under 4.5 (+170) via BetOnline.ag
Our Pick: So we are really just hedging our bets here, but I look at it as a win/win. Who doesn't need more dogs, especially after the year we've had. I'm taking the under at +170 here. Not because I don't think there will be or should be that many dog featuring commercials, but because I do. If we lose out on this bet it just means that we got more doggos this year which is always a win, but if we win the bet at least we get compensated for a lack of proper doggo representation during our football respites.
There's no better bet than a win/win and when you get commercials like this who doesn't feel like a winner?
Budweiser Clydesdale Puppy Love Super Bowl 2014 Commercial www.youtube.com
Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady are cordial here, but will be focused on taking the other down in Super Bowl 55
We will have the rare opportunity to see a championship game that includes the implication of the proverbial passing of the GOAT title if Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are able to defeat Tom Brady's Buccaneers in Tampa.
Not only would this make Kansas City back-to-back Lombardi Trophy winners, but it would mean that Mahomes was able to knock off the greatest to ever do it at the quarterback position on arguably the most talented team he's ever been a part of (sorry New England, but you should've treated your man better). Mahomes, who signed the largest contract in sports history following Kansas City's championship win last year, had plenty of expectations to live up to. He has delivered in a big way on their path to repeat as world champs this season.
Patrick Mahomes is adding to a STACKED resume ➖ Super Bowl champ ➖ Super Bowl MVP ➖ 2 AFC titles ➖ MVP ➖ 3x Pro Bo… https://t.co/DtwpvmzQqZ— Bleacher Report (@Bleacher Report) 1611548087.0
Mahomes finished inside the top 5 in passing yards (second) and passing touchdowns (fourth) easily even with a few weeks of struggle during the regular reason. The same can be said of the 43 year old Brady as he finished third in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns with 40 on the season nearly matching his age.
Brady who is in his 20th NFL season now has been around long enough for two generations of football fans to be very familiar with who he is and what he's about, and that can be summed up in one word which is winning. He is the winningest quarterback in the history of the NFL and became the first individual player to win six Super Bowl rings. Now with a chance to add a seventh ring with Tampa Bay, the GOAT knows that he is going to have to make a few plays in this game to beat the Chiefs. The expectation going into this game is that we'll see a shootout, and with these two offenses it's a fair assessment.
Tom Brady is headed back to his 10th Super Bowl 😲 https://t.co/xQTeDQUhvQ— ESPN (@ESPN) 1611530644.0
The Chiefs led the league in average yards per game during the regular season and Tampa Bay ranked third in average points per game with 30.8 and trailing just behind them in sixth place were the Chiefs with an average of 29.6 points per game. On paper these are the two most talented offenses in the league and it's a dream game for NFL fans that want to see touchdowns. But touchdowns aside, the focal point of this matchup is going to be Brady versus Mahomes. As Nate Burleson said immediately following the Chiefs win over Buffalo on Sunday night, it sets up a contest of the GOAT versus the Kid (a term for a baby goat) and believe that we are ALL here for it.
Every generation has their chosen GOAT, but it's never guaranteed to see an event like this we still get to see two players of this caliber squaring off in a championship game. A lot has to fall into place to find ourselves in a situation like this, and after a year like 2020, someone up there must be looking out for us sports fans. Fans will often get into arguments about who would win in a hypothetical matchup all the time. Who would win in a game between Jordan's Bulls and LeBron's Heat teams? Could Tyson knock out Ali? Who wins in a head to head Super Bowl matchup between Brady and Mahomes?
Well we get to find out the answer to one of those timeless questions in two weeks at Super Bowl 55 in Tampa Bay. For Brady he came into this season with the looming question as to whether or not much of his success can be traced back to Bill Belichick during his tenure with the Patriots. It seems like we've written Brady off many times throughout his 20 seasons, and he just continues to get better. At this point it seems fair to call into question whether Brady has some kind of Benjamin Button disease causing him to reverse age.
"Can I say hi to my son?" This Tom Brady interaction 🥰 (via @NFL) https://t.co/0Df7jr702i— ESPN (@ESPN) 1611531168.0
One could argue that due to Brady's advanced age that we aren't seeing Mahomes facing off with the best version of Tom Brady we could've seen, but Brady's stats say otherwise. Furthermore, Brady has passed the eye test all season, rarely showing his age and instead dropping dimes all over the field to his talented receiving core that includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown.
Mahomes and the Chiefs will likely enter this game as the favorites to win their second consecutive Super Bowl, but one thing that we've learned about Tom Brady throughout the years is that you can never count out number 12, especially in the playoffs, and especially when the Lombardi is on the line. You only earn the title "GOAT" by ruthlessly dominating the competition year over year and there's never been anyone that has put the pads on that has been a better winner than Tom Brady.
No matter who wins, as fans we will get treated to a spectacular showcase of what the NFL can be. It's not just X's and O's and touchdowns and goal line stands. It's the stories that make sports great. Just like the Madalorian is a western viewed through a Star Wars filter, this is a tale of two gunslingers headed toward the final duel. Two legacies enter, but only one will leave with the the title. That title will no longer just be the GOAT, but BAMF.
