TAMPA, FLORIDA (February 7, 2021)–tonight Tampa Bay Buc Quarter Back Tom Brady, won his seventh Super Bowl and fifth SB MVP award . In the first quarter, Brady connected with his old New England buddy, Rob Gronkowski, for two first-half TDs as the Bucs sprinted out to a double-digit lead they’d never relinquish.
Behind a dominant offensive line, Brady was comfortable start to finish, getting the ball out quick and taking shots when needed. The 43-year-old completed 21-of-29 passes for 201 yards and three first-half touchdowns. Gronk, who unretired to join Brady for another Super Bowl run, exploded, gashing the Chiefs up the seam time and time again.
The TE led the Bucs with six caches for 67 yards and the two TDs. Gronk’s best two games this season came against K.C. (6/106 in Week 12). With Mike Evans (1/31) and Chris Godwin (2/9) slowed, it was Gronk that carried the passing load. The future Hall of Fame TE returned to chase a fourth Super Bowl ring. In the biggest game of the year, Gronk stole the spotlight. After a slow start to the season, the Bucs gelled down the stretch, as Brady teams often do. Winning three road playoff games earned the Bucs the chance to play a home Super Bowl game. In front of those home fans, the Bucs lifted their second franchise Lombardi Trophy.
Todd Bowles set a record as the first Black coach and former football player to win a Super Bowl ring. The Buccaneers defensive coordinator called a masterful game that had Kansas Quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambling for his life, holding the ball, and gave the Chiefs no deep shots throughout the game. The defense also stopped Mahomes from throwing deep passes or a touchdown during the entire game. Bowles dropped safeties deep to negate Tyreek Hill’s speed and funnel everything underneath. The Bucs were ready for Andy Reid’s normal counter, sniffing out every screen K.C. tried. Devin White was a menace, discombobulating every snap. Lavonte David helped smother Travis Kelce. Blanketing the field deep, not allowing a completion of 20-plus air yards to an offense that feasts off such plays, the Bucs controlled the game. The most dominant aspect of the game came from Tampa’s defensive front, which throttled an injured Chiefs O-line. The Bucs often were through the line a second after the snap, causing Mahomes to retreat on first step. Tampa destroyed backup Chiefs offensive tackles with Shaquil Barrett constantly in Mahomes’ face or forcing him to throw out of bound passes.
“The Bucs pressured Mahomes on 32.7% of his snaps while only blitzing on five snaps, per Next Gen Stats. The Bucs held Mahomes to 114 yards through three quarters and kept the Chiefs out of the end zone, earning two INTs of the star QB. It was as thorough a beating as Mahomes has experienced, and the first double-digit loss of his NFL career.”
The Chiefs offensive line was never in the game and struggled to cover Mahomes. The extent to which they struggled, particularly Mike Remmers on the left side, can’t be overstated. Mahomes was running for his life throughout the entire game, needing a Herculean effort just to get the ball out.
” Even the brilliance of Mahomes couldn’t overcome the offensive line issues Sunday. Mahomes was forced to scramble on 28.6% of his snaps, per NGS, completing just five of 14 throws with an INT on such plays. Even when the QB appeared to have time, it was clear he didn’t trust it would last long enough to sit tight in the pocket. It’s the latest reminder that even with speed, talent and weapons for days, football is still a game won in the trenches.”
Source: NFL