Chiefs’ Super Bowl keys vs. Bucs: Trust Spagnuolo’s Brady Plan, and line must step up
The stage is set for the final game of the NFL season: the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 7.
After winning Super Bowl LIV, the Chiefs seek to become the first back-to-back NFL champions since 2004, when then-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady led New England to another crown after winning it all in 2003.
Now, the Chiefs’ quest to officially “Run It Back” must go through the Brady-led Bucs.
The Chiefs finished the regular season with a franchise-best 14-2 record, winning a fifth straight AFC West title with the league’s No. 1-rated offense at 415.8 yards per game and top-ranked passing unit (303.4). Kansas City’s defense finished 10th in points allowed (22.6) and 16th in yards allowed (358.3).
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, went 11-5 with the third-best scoring offense (30.8) and seventh-highest yards-per-game average (384.1). The Bucs’ defense ranked eighth in points allowed (22.1) and sixth in yards allowed (327.1).
The Bucs hold a 7-6 edge in the teams’ all-time series, but the Chiefs won a Week 12 matchup in Tampa, 27-24.
So, what will it take on Super Sunday for the Chiefs to emerge with the Lombardi Trophy for the second straight year?
DON’T CHANGE APPROACH ON BRADY
Brady didn’t show signs of age (he’s 43) in 2020. In his first season with the Bucs, he orchestrated a passing game that finished second in the league at 289.1 yards per game.
Having talented wide receivers like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, not to mention tight end Rob Gronkowski, Brady’s old Pats cohort, certainly helped.
But the Chiefs were able to disrupt Brady and the Bucs in Week 12, and the reasons why went beyond the stat line. The Chiefs sacked Brady just once but recorded eight quarterback hits. The Bucs started slow because the Chiefs interrupted their offensive rhythm.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit forced punts on Tampa’s first four possessions, including three straight three-and-outs to end the first quarter. Then, the Chiefs intercepted Brady on consecutive third-quarter possessions.
There was a defensive letdown in the fourth quarter as Brady attempted to lead a frantic comeback with the Chiefs nursing a 27-10 lead, but Patrick Mahomes made timely plays in the fourth quarter to take precious time off the clock.
While Brady is well on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Chiefs have an ace up their sleeve Sunday. Spagnuolo knows how to defend him, evidenced by two straight wins in recent meetings (Week 14 of the 2019 season, Week 12 in 2020).
Spagnuolo’s crowning defensive achievement against Brady came much earlier in his career, as he devised the scheme that helped the New York Giants pull off a stunning 17-14 upset of the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
Can Brady still hurt an opponent in his 40s?
Of course he can, but the Chiefs’ defense is in good hands with Spagnuolo calling the shots.
PROTECT MAHOMES
Mahomes lit up the Buccaneers in the regular season, completing 37 of 49 passes for 462 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 127.4 passer rating.
But this time around, the Chiefs enter the game with issues on their offensive line.
They were already down right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who remains on injured reserve with a back injury, and they lost left tackle Eric Fisher to a torn Achilles in the AFC Championship Game.
These are no small developments against a pass rush bookended by Jason Pierre-Paul (team-high 9.5 sacks) and Shaquil Barrett (8). Second-year linebacker Devin White recorded nine sacks and the Bucs tallied 48 as a team.
“They’re impressive, and again, that group is playing at a very high level,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “You saw that with their front against Green Bay; they had constant pressure there on Aaron (Rodgers).”
The Chiefs must protect Mahomes, who was sacked twice and hit seven times in Week 12, against Tampa Bay’s ferocious pass rush. And that requires some shuffling along their front five.
Mike Remmers projects to move from right tackle to fill in for Fisher at left tackle, while Andrew Wylie is likely to shift from right guard to right tackle. If those two things happen, it makes sense for the Chiefs to insert veteran Stefen Wisniewski, a versatile offensive lineman, at right guard.
Fundamental play takes center stage, but the Chiefs are confident in the next-man-up scenario.
“(Chiefs offensive line coach) Andy Heck does a great job with maneuvering people around and giving them opportunities to play all the different positions,” Reid said.
GO AFTER THE PASS DEFENSE
If Mahomes has time in the pocket, the table sets up nicely for a potential repeat of his Week 12 dominance.
The Bucs came out of the NFC Championship Game with their own injury concerns, specifically to both of their starting safeties. Jordan Whitehead suffered shoulder and knee injuries, while Antoine Winfield hurt his ankle.
If either safety misses the Super Bowl, or isn’t 100 percent, the Chiefs must unleash Mahomes by sending receiver Tyreek Hill deep again. Hill torched Tampa with 13 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns on 15 targets in Week 12.
BACK IT UP
The Chiefs adopted their “Run It Back” battle cry during the offseason and used it to weather every opponent’s best shot.
Some games were nail-biters, but winning 14 in a regular season is never easy, and doing so required a complete team effort.
“I feel like this year, we took it upon us as a team to not only preach to run it back but believe that we had the team to do it, to run it back and repeat what we did last year,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said.
For a year now, the Chiefs have talked about their desire to return to the Super Bowl and defend their championship.
The ultimate goal is now within sight.
This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Chiefs’ Super Bowl keys vs. Bucs: Trust Spagnuolo’s Brady Plan, and line must step up."
