In March last year, Tom Brady did the unthinkable. He left the New England Patriots, a franchise he had inspired to nine Super Bowls and won six. Then he joined the Buccaneers, a team with only one SB victory—a blowout triumph over the Oakland Raiders in 2002.
By leaving New England, Brady was taking the longer route to another Super Bowl. He would play in a new city, new climate, new coach, and new teammates. He isn’t getting younger too. He turned 43 in August. All the same, Brady had an incredible first year in Tampa Bay.
Will he deliver glory for the Buccaneers this Sunday? Tampa’s mayor is seriously considering changing the city’s name to Tompa Bay if Brady delivers a Super Bowl. But what are the odds?
#1: He’s the Greatest
Brady might have just turned 43. And he has a new team and coach, but he knows his way around the Super Bowl. He’s heading to the big event for the tenth time, twice as many times as his closest competitors. He’s also a four-time SB MVP and has won in six out of nine appearances. In light of that information, it is safe to say the Super Bowl is kind of Brady’s area of specialization.
That said, Brady has also had a season warranting a Super Bowl appearance. He completed 60.8% of his throws and 66% of his passes. In total, the former Patriots’ QB had 40 touchdowns and completed 5,109 yards. Although an impressive record, there’s no denying his main opponent, Patrick Mahomes, is no pushover.
Mahomes is hoping for a back to back Super Bowl victory and he has a great supporting cast from Kansas City. He’s also the favorite SB MVP according to many bookies (-120), significantly ahead of Brady (+200). If you believe the bookies are wrong, check out the guides about Florida sports betting at betting.us. Then consider wagering on your preferred MVP and team to win the Lombardi Trophy.
#2: Offensive Firepower
As mentioned, Brady will be facing off against a team with a solid offense and defense. However, the Buccaneers’ O-line isn’t terrible either. Quite the contrary, Tom’s support cast in the offense side is explosive—Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin.
They are all elite All-Pro offensive players that have been giving numerous defense players a lot of trouble over the years. Of course, let’s not forget about Rob Gronkowski, one of the best tight ends the league has witnessed.
Main players aside, the backup options in Tampa Bay are also incredibly talented. Think of wide receivers Scotty Miller and Tyron Johnson and Rob’s backup man Cameron Brate. Then throw in the team’s running backs Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones II and you have a cast that could take down just about any team.
Comparatively, Tampa’s O-line is better than the Chiefs’. The players allowed 22 sacks, ranking them fifth in the league and six points ahead of Kansas City.
#3: Equally Great Defense
They say attacking wins games, but it’s the defense that helps bring home trophies. To expound more, it will be impossible for Brady to deliver glory on Sunday if Tampa Bay’s defensive line doesn’t show up. Fortunately, the Buccaneers have one of the best D-lines in the league.
Better yet, their main opponents on Sunday, have a defense-line that completed the season at 21st in rushing yards. To be clear, the Brady-led team was ranked first for the fewest rushing yards allowed and fourth for the most completed rushing yards.
That’s something to celebrate for rushers Shaquil Barret, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Devin White. Another thing to celebrate is the fact that Kansas City will miss three crucial players in last year’s SB winning team: Guards Mitchell Schwartz and Laurent Duvernay and tackle Eric Fisher.
#4: Form and Home Advantage
Form is a vital factor to consider whenever two football teams meet. In this case, both the Buccaneers and the Chiefs are in impeccable form. Kansas City has maintained their momentum since winning SB last year. On the flip side, the Buccaneers are on a seven-game winning streak, including a 3-0 playoff record in which Brady dismantled two Hall of Famer QBs: Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.
Back to form, Tampa Bay has been averaging 34.3 points per game in the seven games they’ve been on a winning streak. By comparison, the Mahomes-led franchise has been averaging 26.4 points in the past seven games.
With that in mind, let’s not forget Tom Brady will be playing at his new home. The Buccaneers will be the first franchise ever to participate in a Super Bowl they host. Head Coach Bruce Arians believes that could work to their advantage.
“I think the big advantage is we stay in our own beds, sleep here and just do our normal routine,” Bruce recently said. “…Just to be able to stay in your routine, sleep in your bed and all that stuff, I think it’s a huge advantage.”
#5: The Kicking Edge
While Tom Brady will be Tampa’s main catalyst on Sunday, there’s no denying that kicker Ryan Succop will play a crucial role in the team performance. Kickers are often underappreciated for sure. But when you look at many NFL games, plenty of matches are won or lost because of kickers.
The Buccaneers have a top of the line kicker in Succop. He’s missed just one of 15 potential field goals and has converted 31 of 32 attempts. In the playoffs, Succop has a clean 8-8 record. By comparison, Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs has been inconsistent at times, including missing a couple of points in the playoffs. If the SB comes down to which team has the better kicker, therefore, the Buccaneers will have an edge.
Conclusion
Tom Brady has a genuine chance of delivering Super Bowl glory on Sunday. First, winnings SBs is what he does best. Secondly, he has a supporting cast capable of helping him win—both offense and defense. What’s more, the Buccaneers are comparatively better than the Chiefs based on the two teams’ performances this season.
