I’m sure the Kansas City Chiefs would have preferred to win this matchup two years ago, though I guess they’ll be content with this one. The Kansas City Chiefs exploded on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers early and often, easily winning 41-31 to avenge their Super Bowl 55 loss.
Yeah, this win is probably very bittersweet for most of the Kansas City Chiefs team and definitely for all of their fans as it was just another reminder of what could have been two years ago. The chance of not only becoming the first team since the 2003/04 and the 2004/05 Patriots to repeat as Super Bowl Champions, but also supplant the very same New England Patriots as the new dynasty of the NFL.
Yet, the sole remaining member still playing in the NFL from those legendary Patriots teams, future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Tom Brady, and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers crushed those dreams as they routed the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55, making it one of the least competitive Super Bowls in the 21st century.
Thus, with both the Chiefs and Buccaneers both going out early in the playoffs last season, the rematch of Super Bowl 55 was postponed until last night. And, let me tell you that the Kansas City Chiefs gave the Buccaneers a taste of their own medicine as Patrick Mahomes took it upon himself to destroy the Bucs defense all night long.
Going for 23/37, 249 yards, 3 TDs and an INT, Mahomes torched Todd Bowles’ elite defense on nearly every possession. Actually, scratch that, they did it every possession as they scored a touchdown on each of their 4 offensive drives in the first half, with Patrick Mahomes scoring two of the most creative touchdowns I’ve seen in a while.
The first one, which put them up 21-3 over the Bucs with 5 minutes into the Second Quarter, was all down to the ingenuity and athleticisms of Patrick Mahomes. With the ball at the 2-yard line, the Chiefs ran a play-action rollout that was immediately snuffed out by the Tampa defense.
Mahomes had to run back to the 10-yard line just to escape from the clutches of one Tampa Bay defender, then ran back to the line of scrimmage, deked out Devin White with a spin move, then tossed the ball forward (just before he crossed the line of scrimmage) to a wide-open Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Then, on the very next drive, the ingenuity of Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy was on full display as the Chiefs were in a similar as they were on the 1-yard line to put Kansas City up 28-10.
The brilliant offensive mind that is Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy decided have Patrick Mahomes fake being the “QB” by pretending to call out signals and plays while TE Noah Gray ran behind the center to take the snap and sneaked the ball into the endzone.
The Tampa Bay defense, and especially Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. had absolutely no idea what was going on as they were pushed at least 15-yard back into the endzone (well, that maybe a slight exaggeration) to give Gray an easy touchdown and the Chiefs’ their 4th of the game.
It’s honestly spectacular to watch the creativity, confidence, and skill to pull off such intricate, complex, and just flat-out ridiculous play concepts. Thank goodness the Chiefs drafted Mahomes or else he would never have developed into the unbelievable QB he is today.
Nevertheless, the Bucs defense and Todd Bowles’ schemes were really pitiful as they not only let up 40+ points in front of their home’s fans, but that was also the most points scored against this Tampa Bay defense in the 4 years Todd Bowles has been the DC/HC of this team.
I guess the only good thing was that Tom Brady finally looked like the Tom Brady we all know and love. With run game just collapsing early on, and WRs Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and Julio Jones all back from their injuries/suspension, Brady looked completely different from the guy we were watching those opening three weeks.
He finally was able to hit long passes down the field, as well as strike on his traditional out-routes and slant-routes, as Godwin, Evans, and Jones were actually able to catch the ball and run for yards (unlike Gage, Perriman, etc.). In other words, he, along with this Bucs offense, looked competent.
Brady ended up finishing the game 39/52, 385 yards, and 3 TDs, with Mike Evans catching 8 passes for 108 yards and a TD and Chris Godwin 7 receptions for 59 yards. Sure, the Bucs were blown-out for the majority of this game, but it wasn’t because of Brady.
It was their non-existent running game and no-show defense that cost them the win last night.
To be honest, this was a fun game to watch and a potential precursor to this year’s Super Bowl, but it doesn’t really have any significance towards each other’s season other than an extra win/loss. Both of these teams will make it to the playoffs, and should be near the top of their, respective, conference come Week 17.
Anyway, I sadly have to mention another concussion situation. Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate suffered a concussion after catching a pass and then accidently colliding and hitting his head off his own teammate Chris Godwin.
Brate, who was clearly shaken up, left the game to go to the sidelines, but soon returned to play on a few more drives before getting ruled out with a concussion. Come on, NFL! Again?
Have they not learned anything with Tua’s scary injury less than a week ago? It’s a good thing the NFLPA is taking this situation into their own hands and are in the process of changing the concussion protocols.
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