On Sunday the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs will meet the NFC champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. Members of the Daily's Sports section got out their crystal balls to predict this game of games.
Alex Sharp
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Final Score: 28–23
The best poker player in the world can’t do anything when their opponent flops the nut flush. Tom Brady may be the greatest quarterback to ever play the game of football, but he’s also the luckiest. He’s won Super Bowls because of thetuck rule, theleg of Adam Vinatieri andPete Carroll’s mind-numbing decision to throw from the 1-yard line with one of the best power runners of the 21st century in the backfield. Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback with the best weapons in the NFL, but you just can’t bet against Tom Brady. Because the football gods love Tom Brady more than Gronk loves to party.
Jake Freudberg
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 37–28
Tom Brady will win this Super Bowl. It makes sense. Brady’s career has been one of the best sports stories ever written, and the story just wouldn’t make sense if he left the Patriots to lead the Bucs to a Super Bowl and then lost. It’s going to be a shoot out. Both teams have been putting up big numbers in the playoffs, and Brady and Mahomes both have plenty of targets to choose from. It could come down to turnovers — and the Bucs defense wins that battle. Tampa Bay was third in the league with 101 points off of turnovers in the regular season and has scored 41 points off of turnovers this postseason. Even if Brady throws three picks like he did against the Green Bay Packers two weeks ago, the Bucs still have a decent chance.
Emma Joyce
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24–21
Although it is hard to pick against the stacked Kansas City offense, I think Tampa Bay will win this one. Tom Brady has been under so much pressure this season with fans questioning his age and whether he can still win with a new team, and I think he wants this ring more than any of his previous ones. The Chiefs are also missing both of their starting offensive tackles, so the Buccaneers’ pass rush should have more opportunities to get to Patrick Mahomes. This takes more pressure off of Tampa Bay’s young secondary, who will have their work cut out for them with Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs receivers. If the Buccaneers can shut down Tyreek Hill, they will win the Super Bowl and be the first team to ever do so at home.
Aiden Herrod
Kansas City Chiefs, 27–20
There is one factor I’m looking at that can decide this game. This is Brady’s first season in Bruce Arians’ system, and the first time he’s played under someone not named Bill Belichick. Obviously that has not been much of a problem, given the results we’ve seen so far. But this factor has led to some troubling cracks in the facade. The Arians system asks the quarterback to sling the ball deep and take more risks than Brady is accustomed to. This can be hugely productive, but can also lead to some costly turnovers.His three NFC championship interceptions kept the Packers in the game a lot longer than the Buccaneers would have liked. To keep up with Patrick Mahomes, Brady will need to take more risks. This will certainly lead to some dazzling plays, but the Chiefs can punish teams that don’t play at or near perfection. And with such a close matchup promised, one extra pick could be all the difference needed.
Jeremy Goldstein
Kansas City Chiefs, 38–24
Hot streaks, to put it bluntly, are a gambler’s pyrite. The Buccaneers have rolled through the playoffs on an unsustainable string of some of the most positive turnover luck in recent memory — dueling against Sir Patrick Mahomes is not a recipe for continuing such a trend. While the Buccaneers’ young secondary of second and third round picks (Sean Murphy-Bunting,Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, etc.) has certainly risen to the occasion this season, the Kansas City machine is a three-year juggernaut.While there are concerns about KC missing both of their starting tackles, this game will turn into a battle of splash plays, and one of these teams is far more equipped for that type of contest.
Jack Adgate
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31–24
Tom Brady is too good in big games, and the Bucs have been on a tear thus far in the postseason. Their run defense and secondary have been lights out, shutting down two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks in Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. They’ll get to Mahomes early, and give Kansas City’s lethal receiving core little time to get separation from coverage. The run game will be non-existent for the Chiefs. On offense, Brady will be locked in, finding Chris Godwin regularly. The pass game will be supported by Leonard Fournette, who has found the end zone in each of the Buccaneers three playoff games. Brady is simply too good down the stretch, even for the future of the league in Mahomes.
Matt Chen
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 34–24
Simply put, Tom Brady is the best quarterback to play the game of football.A Brady-Mahomes rematch after their 2019 AFC championship showdown is something most football fans want to see. The Tampa offense is just too much to handle and Brady will win his seventh Super Bowl. Expect Ronald Jones and Chris Godwin to get a lot of touches early on. Don’t expect the Chiefs to give in. I fully expect Mahomes to work his magic with Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill to keep Kansas City in this game until the end.
Alex Viveros
Kansas City Chiefs, 42–35
Here’s the thing — I haven’t seriously watched football in more than a year. I’ve never seen Tom Brady play in a non-Patriots jersey. I saw a TikTok the other day with Gronk celebrating with Brady, and my first thought was, “Wait, I thought he retired?” I couldn’t tell you who the Buccaneers’ wide receivers are, and I sure can’t tell you how good the Tampa Bay Defense is (after all, defense is a better predictor of rings than offense is — see Super Bowl XLIX). There’s one thing I do know: Tom Brady is the best quarterback of all time. That’s not an opinion, that’s a fundamental fact. This year, Brady proved that while genius-level New England coaching will solidify you as a starter, a quarterback’s game sense, experience and drive is the make-or-break combination in big games. However, hype can only get you so far. I haven’t seen Patrick Mahomes play this year, but from what I’ve seen from him (when he trashed my 49ers in LIV), he has the makings to potentially surpass Brady as the greatest to ever play the position. My gut tells me that this will be the start of his dynasty, in a historic, high-scoring game that will go down as one of the best in the modern era.
Matt Goguen
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 35–31
Look, I understand that the Chiefs are a literal super team and it’s almost impossible to cover all of their offensive weapons. However, this is Tom Brady we are talking about. He’s already defeated Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers this postseason and will not finish with a disappointing loss on the Buccaneers’ home field. The game will come down to one single turnover; the Bucs defense must attack Mahomes and apply pressure to him. If their defensive line is able to flush him out of the pocket and force a big turnover, I like the Bucs’ chances. Their offense has been firing on all cylinders lately, and Brady will easily pick apart the Chiefs’ wet paper towel of a defense. At the end of the night, Tom Brady will have seven Super Bowls to his name. The ageless wonder will once again be on top of the sports world.
Sophia Antezana
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 28–25
I am predicting a close game, with the Bucs beating the Chiefs by a small margin. The Bucs are equipped with arguably one of the top defenses in the league. On the offensive side, the Bucs are led by Brady, who is their leader andsemi-coach. I think he will ultimately lead the Bucs to a win. The Bucs’ star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will need to play well, but look for the less well-known Scotty Miller, who caught a huge touchdown against the Packers in the NFC championship, to be the X factor. If the Tampa skill position players perform well the Bucs will be able to beat the Chiefs at their own game. Not to mention, the Bucs have a home field advantage, though it is not the conventional home field advantage due to the less-than-capacity crowd as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The familiarity of the stadium and overall atmosphere is one more benefit for the Bucs.
Ethan Grubelich
Kansas City Chiefs, 27–17
Make no mistake: The track record of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs over the last three seasons is about as impeccable as it gets. I think we’ve all learned at this point that no lead against the Chiefs is big enough, and the Buccaneers should certainly expect Andy Reid and the Chiefs offense to capitalize on the turnovers that Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers offense couldn’t. The strong Buccaneers pass rush that tormented Green Bay will be quite the challenge for a hobbled Chiefs offensive line, but it’s difficult to imagine them delivering a lethal blow to the historic production of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce that we’ve witnessed all season and even in Tampa in Week 12. I now see in Patrick Mahomes the dominance I once saw in Tom Brady, and I fully expect Mahomes to seize this historic opportunity to keep the GOAT conversation alive for another generation.
Eric Spencer
Kansas City Chiefs, 31–24
The Buccaneers have relied on turnovers and poor coaching from the Packers to make it to the Super Bowl. Kansas City’s offense will prove too much to handle and Brady will play well but throw a couple picks on deep shots. The Chiefs will repeat.
Isaac Karp
Kansas City Chiefs, 24–17
One question has surrounded the Chiefs all season: Can they flip the switch and realize their potential when it matters most? The football-watching world found out the answer during the AFC championship game, where the Chiefs crushed the Bills by maximizing their offensive potency. Tyreke Hill outran everyone else on the field, Travis Kelce seemed unguardable and Patrick Mahomes spun the ball almost to perfection. Moreover, the defense, which struggled in the first half of the season, frustrated Josh Allen and captured an interception. While the Buccaneers defensive line will cause Mahomes to make quick decisions, he's an expert in beating the rush and dissecting the secondary. In fact, last year's Super Bowl MVP has ahigher passer rating against five or more rushers than against four or fewer.Meanwhile, the ‘Tom-pa Bay’ Bucs may have gelled at the right moment, but their offense lacks consistency and their defensive backfield has vulnerabilities that the Chiefs’ passing game is built to exploit. This may come down to a shootout, but when it comes to the head coaches I trust “Big Red” more than B.A.
Ananda Kao
Kansas City Chiefs, 31–28
Don’t get me wrong — I will always be a Patriots fan and a big fan of Tom Brady. Yet, the “TB12 Method” and some luck in playoff situations can only get him so far, especially when he’s not wearing a Patriots uniform. There comes a time when the next generation simply catches up and Patrick Mahomes has done that. The power three, as I see it, of Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce is hard for anyone to beat, even the once unstoppable Brady-Gronkowski duo. You would be lying if you said you were not in awe of how fast he is every time Hill runs past an entire defensive unit or if your biggest regret this fantasy season was not drafting Kelce when you had the chance. As my home team is — for once — not competing in this year’s Super Bowl, I predict that it will be a high scoring, back-and-forth game, with the Chiefs ultimately claiming back-to-back titles. No — I did not just pick this score because those are the random squares I have or because that’s how many points the Chiefs scored last year; let’s just say it’s a gut feeling.
Henry Gorelik
Kansas City Chiefs, 34–24
As if the stakes weren’t high enough already, I love the implication of this Super Bowl as a potential “passing of the torch” game. The game has been billed as Brady, the undisputed GOAT, against Mahomes, the ascending GOAT. In addition to the quarterback play, this game will be decided by whether or not Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unpredictable game plan will rattle Brady, if the Bucs’ lethal pass rush is going to take advantage of a banged-up Chiefs offensive line, how Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and the Bucs defense will defend the Chiefs’ innovative run-pass options and if the opportunistic Chiefs defense can make some big plays late. While I’m scared to bet against Brady, he has looked vulnerable against the Saints and the Packers. Brady is the GOAT and will be at his best on Sunday, but I don’t think it's going to be enough to beat Mahomes and Co. I’m choosing the present over the past; let Mahomes’ chase for GOAT status begin.
Sruthi Kocherlakota
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 35–28
As an Eagles fan who roots strongly against Tom Brady, it pains me to say that I think the Buccaneers will bring home the Vince Lombardi Trophy this year on their home field. For starters, the Bucs defense will be able to contain Mahomes and apply pressure unlike other teams the Chiefs have faced in the playoffs. With linemen Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz out for the game, they will have an easier time doing this. Although the Chiefs have seven pro-bowlers this season, and clearly have an impressive record heading into the Super Bowl, the Bucs are not to be underestimated in terms of talent. Tom Brady will ultimately lead his team to the Super Bowl win — he is not quite ready to pass the torch to Mahomes.
The Daily's Sports section is deadlocked, with eight writers taking the Chiefs and eight writers taking the Buccaneers. This Sunday we encourage the Tufts student body to sit back on their couches, dig into some chicken wings or seven layer dip and enjoy one of the great American traditions. Are you ready for some football?
