Sports

[gardenman]

The final game of the 2020 NFL season will take place on Sunday, February 7 between the Tampa Bay Bucs and the KC Chiefs.

In one of those rare quirks, the Super Bowl is being played at Tampa's home stadium. So, the Bucs get home-field advantage in a typically neutral site game. It should be an interesting game. Tampa has a fearsome pass rush that harassed Aaron Rodgers all game in the conference playoffs. KC's offensive line has lost both starting tackles and their backups are competent, but not special. Giving Mahomes time to throw the ball could be a challenge for the Chiefs. 

Both head coaches, Bruce Arians/Andy Reid, are hold no punches kinds of coaches. They'll both come out swinging and try to win the game. They'll take chances and defy the odds from time to time. As Bruce Arians says, "No risk it, no biscuit." There are good playmakers on both teams that will have to be accounted for.

Andy Reid will have a few plays tucked away that he's had the team practice from day one of training camp that he's held n reserve for the right time and place and the Super Bowl is the right time and place. He did that even back when he was the Eagles head coach. He always has a few special plays tucked away. He pretty much empties the playbook for the Super Bowl.

The key for Tampa on defense is to get pressure on Mahomes and to cover Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. The other receivers for KC could beat you, but those two will beat you. Contain them and Tampa could very well win. Contain Kelce and Hill and KC becomes just a very good team and not a dominant team.

KC's defense needs to get pressure in Tom Brady's face. He hates inside pressure. It's his Achilles heel. I won't say he panics at pressure in his face, but it affects him more than it does some QBs. And not much affects him. He's pretty good at ignoring outside pressure, but get someone directly in his line of sight and it's a problem for him. The KC defensive tackles need to get penetration but if they don't the Bucs need to send a linebacker up the middle on Brady. Outside rushes, even corner or safety blitzes don't bother Brady, but get a guy in his face and he's bothered.

Hopefully, the officials play a minimal role in this game and let the players play. Brady will be harping about roughing the passer from the pregame warmups on and the officials tend to give him more protection than other QBs. Brady campaigns hard for pass interference and roughing the passer calls and tends to get more than the average QB. I'm not sure he doesn't spend half his time on the field lobbying the officials for a favorable call. It works for him, so kudos, but it gets a little tiresome to watch.

It should be a good game. If each team plays up to their full potential, the Chiefs should win. They're a better team. They have some recent Super Bowl experience. They have a veteran coach. All the things that matter tilt their way. But, the Bucs have a decent shot at getting the win if the Chefs are off just a teensy bit. Brady's been there and done that and is playing well. He's got good weapons. The Bucs defense should be able to harass Mahomes. It should be a good game. I've already got my peanut M&M's set aside and I'll be ready for the game.

[moxie11]

Thank you so much for all your input on the teams, i, have enjoyed your play by play, and wealth of information and humor. Our family will be sitting along with you cheering for our team. This is a time to acknowledge all the hard work that both teams put in to get them there in the first place. It's no accident, alot of determination from eatch player, working together. Enjoy the game!

[Travone]

@gardenman   I agree with @moxie11 .  While I don't always respond to your posts, I do read them regularly throughout the season.  Thanks for posting....it is enjoyable.

[kaydee50]

Neither of the teams I was rooting for is in it so it's an easy pass for me. I also don't think it's "fair" that Tampa will be playing at home although I personnally think the SB should be played in one of the 2 teams home stadiums and not in some warm weather arena.

Hope TCM has some good movies on that day---LOL!!

[LonestarBabs]

The sports guys on local talk radio were commenting how the run up to the SB will be different this year without all the parties, events, media circus of the past due to COVID. I think we'll still see lots of hype, restricted interviews, etc. so the excitement is definitely there.

The GOAT vs The Kid. I'm ready. But then again, I'm a member of Chiefs Kingdom and have been ready since the days of Steve DeBerg. Last year was great but let's Run It Back!!!!!!!!

[mspatmac]

Hope you don't mind @LonestarBabs  I borrowed your logo! What a coach and what a team! And that nice East Texas Kid, Patrick Mahomes, nothing but  :

RUN IT BACK

[sunshine45]

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@kaydee50 wrote:

Neither of the teams I was rooting for is in it so it's an easy pass for me. I also don't think it's "fair" that Tampa will be playing at home although I personnally think the SB should be played in one of the 2 teams home stadiums and not in some warm weather arena.

Hope TCM has some good movies on that day---LOL!!

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i would LOVE to see them bring back superbowls to cold weather areas. honestly, it would be nice if they spread the superbowl around to ALL teams cities. why not give all cities a chance to profit from having a superbowl?

[gardenman]

The Eagles have become the NFC East version of the Colts with their new coaching hires (four so far) coming from the Colts. The former Eagles coaches are largely ending up in Detroit. It'll be interesting to see how it works out for both franchises. 

Detroit's looking at starting over at QB. Given the influx of former Eagles coaches, including at least one (Duce Staley) who was a cheerleader for Hurts, could the Lions try to trade for Hurts? That's something to keep an eye on as the offseason goes on. The stated plan from Detroit is to bundle their seventh overall pick and whatever they get for trading Matthew Stafford to move up to get a good young QB. Teams tend not to broadcast their real plans quite that openly.

Suppose they trade Stafford to the Colts for the 21st overall pick (and more) then trade that 21st pick to the Eagles for Hurts? Detroit still gets the seventh-best player in the draft with their original pick, a good young QB who's known by at least some of the coaching staff, and likely a bit more in the bundle from the Colts. The Eagles get a first-round pick back for their second-round pick investment last year and lose a distraction for Carson Wentz. Everyone wins. This is one of those things that almost makes too much sense.

Still no official press conference from the new coaching staff. That's kind of interesting. We've seen videos of Sirianni arriving, touring the Eagles' facilities, seeing his new office, etc., but no press conference. We've heard that the coaches have been talking to the players and firing them up, but no one's talking to the media just yet. Interesting. Not even a sit down with the paid reporters on the official team site. 

[Spurt]

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@sunshine45 wrote:

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@kaydee50 wrote:

Neither of the teams I was rooting for is in it so it's an easy pass for me. I also don't think it's "fair" that Tampa will be playing at home although I personnally think the SB should be played in one of the 2 teams home stadiums and not in some warm weather arena.

Hope TCM has some good movies on that day---LOL!!

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i would LOVE to see them bring back superbowls to cold weather areas. honestly, it would be nice if they spread the superbowl around to ALL teams cities. why not give all cities a chance to profit from having a superbowl?

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@sunshine45 

My Redskins last Super Bowl was in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1992.....an activity for the players was ice fishing....LOL....

John Madden ignored the high-profile events and traveled to Lake Mille Lacs to find out what ice fishing was all about. He didn’t catch any walleye but his group did, and he was particularly impressed by the fish fry on the bus ride home. At the same time, other media members, including those from The Washington Post and south Florida Sun Sentinel, were shuttled to Lake Minnetonka for a competing ice-fishing party.

[Spurt]

I dont know who I want to win this Super Bowl.....I just hope it's an exciting game..........