KC Has The Right Stuff To Snuff Tampa

Will Second Time Be A Charm For Patrick

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

It has never happened in the history of the Super Bowl. It hasn’t even come close. No team, whose city was the host of the Super Bowl, actually played in the game. That is until Tom Brady took his talent to Florida. No, not South Beach like LeBron James did. Brady went north to Tampa hoping to appear in his 10th Super Bowl and get his 7th ring. Brady had to learn a totally new offense under head coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Brian Leftwich. The team, which was ranked 3rd overall in defense, needed the offense to catch with them. So, in order to support Brady, Tampa added long time friend and ex-Patriots teammate tight end Rob Gronkowski who had sat out the previous year. To bolster their running game, veteran Leonard Fournatte was signed. Even though wide receiver Antonio Brown would be suspended for 8 games, Tampa signed him to go along with wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The gamble paid off, even after the Bucs got off to a shaky start.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs were out to prove that last year was no fluke. Head coach Andy Reid, who guided the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl (2005) only to lose to the Patriots in Jacksonville, knew the bullseye would be on the teams back coming into the season. Was neophyte quarterback Patrick Mahomes a one-hit wonder? Would teams like the Bills, Ravens, Steelers, Oakland and Cleveland make enough adjustments to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl? The Chiefs did not change much and Mahomes proved he was in fact the real deal. They finished the regular season 14-2 locking up the #1 seed in the AFC. Needing only two games to get back to the Super Bowl. They hung on to take out Buffalo despite losing Mahomes to a concussion late in the third quarter. After trailing 9-0 to the Bills the following week, KC went on a 31-6 run to clinch their second straight Super Bowl appearance.

 

 

 

When Tom Brady steps on the field this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium history will already have been made. No quarterback has  started 10 Super Bowl games. No quarterback has more rings. The fact that Brady and company had to win 3 road games to get to the Super Bowl is even more amazing. The last against the Green Bay Packers who were the #1 seed going into the tournament. 

 

Patrick Mahomes was 6 years old when Brady was waving his very first Vince Lombardi trophy after they took out the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in New Orleans 2002. While Brady’s legacy is set, Mahomes is trying establish his own.

 

Editor’s Pick: Despite the Bucs having “home field” advantage (22,000 fans will be in attendance with 7,500 being front line vaccinated health care workers) the New York Beacon likes the Kansas City Chiefs in a close, highly contested game 37-31.