Buccaneers Defeat Chiefs, Win Super Bowl LV
For the first time since the conclusion of the 2002 NFL season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl Champions.
The Buccaneers, who became the first team to ever play in a Super Bowl in its home stadium, defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9, in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Sunday night.
Tom Brady, who won his fifth Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award, threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, mostly in the first half, to lead the way for Tampa Bay, who won its second Super Bowl in franchise history, while denying the Chiefs their third Super Bowl title in franchise history, as well as their second-straight.
Obviously, the Tampa Bay defense did an incredible job as well, keeping Kansas City out of the end zone, the first game that the Chiefs failed to score a touchdown all season.
Kansas City was looking to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the New England Patriots following the 2003-2004 campaigns.
Brady, who was playing in his tenth Super Bowl, has now won seven of them.
The Buccaneers, who entered the playoffs as an NFC wild-card team, won their last five regular-season games, as well as four postseason games, to win the Super Bowl.
The win by the Buccaneers avenged a 27-24 loss to the Chiefs during the regular season in a game played back on November 29.
Kansas City got on the scoreboard first, at the 5:14 mark of the first quarter when Harrison Butker capped off an 8-play, 31-yard drive with a 49-yard field goal, which gave them a 3-0 lead.
Tampa Bay took the lead with 37 seconds remaining in the initial quarter when Brady hit Gronkowski with an 8-yard touchdown pass, wrapping up an 8-play, 75-yard drive, which gave them a 7-3 advantage.
Brady and Gronkowski hooked up again at the 6:05 mark of the second quarter when the two combined on a 17-yard scoring strike, concluding a 6-play, 38-yard drive, which widened the Buccaneers lead to 14-3.
The two touchdowns from Brady to Gronkowski were the 12th and 13th career postseason touchdown passes between the two
The Chiefs chipped into the deficit at the 1:04 mark of the second quarter when Butker made good on his second field goal of the half, this one from 34 yards away, ending a 10-play, 61-yard drive, to make it 14-6.
Tampa Bay scored its third touchdown of the first half with only six seconds remaining in the half when Brady tossed his third score of the first 30 minutes, this one a short 1-yard scoring strike to Antonio Brown, completing a 5-play, 71-yard drive, which gave them a 21-6 lead, an advantage they would take with them into the halftime break.
Tampa Bay outgained Kansas City, in terms of total yards in the first half, 194-124, including a 134-67 advantage in passing yards, as well as a 60-57 edge in rushing yards.
Kansas City was also hurt by numerous penalties in the first half, as they were flagged 8 times for 95 yards, while Tampa Bay was only penalized once for five yards.
Brady led the way for the Buccaneers in the first half, completing 16-of-20 passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns, while Gronkowski caught five passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns.
For the Chiefs in the first half, Patrick Mahomes completed 9-of-19 passes for only 67 yards.
Kansas City scored the first points of the second quarter when Butker converted on his third field goal of the game, this one from 52 yards out, capping off a 7-play, 47-yard drive, to trim the deficit to 21-9.
Tampa Bay answered on its next possession when Leonard Fournette scored on a 27-yard touchdown run, wrapping up a 6-play, 74-yard drive, which widened its lead to 28-9.
The Buccaneers basically put the game completely away at the 2:50 mark of the third quarter when Ryan Succop kicked through a 52-yard field goal, completing an 8-play, 11-yard drive, to make it 31-9.
That's how the scoring wrapped up, as the Buccaneers went on to the 31-9 triumph.
Kansas City actually ended up outgaining Tampa Bay, in terms of total yards, 350-341, including a 243-195 advantage in passing yards, while the Buccaneers finished with a 145-107 edge in rushing yards.
Brady led the way for the Buccaneers, completing 21-of-29 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns, while Gronkowski caught six passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
In a losing cause for the Chiefs, Mahomes was helped pretty much in check by the Chiefs defense, completing 26-of-49 passes for 270 yards and was intercepted twice.
The Buccaneers, the NFC Champions, went 11-5 during the regular season, before a perfect 4-0 run in the postseason, while the Chiefs, the AFC Champions, finished the regular season with an overall record of 14-2, prior to going 2-1 in the postseason.