In what was billed to be one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time between two offences of obvious class, but it was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defence who stepped up as they defeated Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV.
Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP as he threw three touchdowns for his side, who also scored a rushing touchdown through Leonard Fournette.
It was a torrid night for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was clearly struggling with a toe injury that requires surgery and was repeatedly let down by his receivers who dropped key catches at key moments in the game.
However, Mahomes’ biggest problem on the night was the Buccaneers defence, who were utterly relentless in pressurising last year’s Super Bowl MVP, making the evening a spectacle in a way nobody was expecting.
Mahomes was sacked three times with Ndamakong Suh’s massive hit on him late in the fourth quarter arguably the pick of the bunch.
Linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White gave the Chiefs’ All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce no room, making big plays at crucial third downs to prevent the Chiefs’ from continuing drives and building any sort of momentum.
Shaquil Barrett was once again up to his usual mischief as he got through the injury-hit Chiefs offensive line almost at will pinning Mahomes back in what was the toughest night in his NFL career to date.
It seems obvious to say it would be a tough night for Mahomes looking at the stats, but it really was Mahomes’ toughest night in professional football: it was the first time he has failed to throw a touchdown and also the first time he has lost a game by more than 10 points.
This was a defensive performance of the ages from the Buccaneers.
It was not for the lack of trying either from Mahomes who gave it his absolute all to no avail, as wherever he looked Buccaneers defenders were there, whether that be pass rushers swarming him like hungry lions or the coverage being so good that Kelce and Hill were rendered useless.
This was perhaps the most impressive aspect of the game for the Buccaneers as Hill tore them to shreds in the regular season match up, scoring three touchdowns with 269 receiving yards in a 27-24 victory for the Chiefs.
Last night, the Bucs secondary very much gained their revenge on that usually free-scoring Chiefs offence.
Hill was kept to a measly 73 yards from seven receptions and was unable to get in the end zone, whilst Antoine Winfield Jr recorded the interception to put the icing on the cake with Devin White making an interception in the final two minutes to prevent the Chiefs getting a consolation score.
Brady was crowned the MVP, and perhaps rightfully so as he is running out of fingers for rings, but any one of the Buccaneers defence could’ve been given the prestigious award in what was a comprehensive defensive destruction of one of the best offences the NFL has seen in recent years.
Check out all of SWL’s Super Bowl LV coverage here.
Featured image credit: Bernard Gagnon via Creative Commons license
