Watch Super Bowl LV between Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs live on Sky Sports NFL (407) from 10pm on Sunday, February 7; Sky One will broadcast the game from 11pm
Saturday 6 February 2021 18:58, UK
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs; Super Bowl LV on Sunday has all the makings of a classic!
Ahead of the game, Sky Sports' NFL expert Jeff Reinebold, with 40 years worth of coaching experience, breaks down the five key matchups in the contest that should determine who the confetti falls on come the early hours of Monday morning...
Jeff says: "These two are both going to have their plays in this one, because they're both such great players.
"To me, it's going to come down to who can play the cleanest game.
"The last time the two met [in Week 12], Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes, but he also threw two interceptions - and they were really costly. The game finished really close, but when you watch the film you can actually see that Kansas City were clearly the better team that day, and a lot of that had to do with the cleaner play they got at the quarterback position.
"It's a new game. And the magnitude of this one is hard to comprehend for most people, but not Brady - he has an advantage because he's been there 10 times and is comfortable in the moment.
"Patrick Mahomes, meanwhile, is just amazing! You watch the tape of him - Brady even mentioned this in his press conference this week, that he takes the snap, pedals backwards 15 yards and then, all of a sudden, throws a laser about 30 yards down the field. His arm talent is exquisite!
"If anyone has a chance of getting close to the kind of success Brady has had in his career, it's Mahomes."
Jeff says: "These two are different kinds of receivers.
"Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs wideouts are all about speed! The benchmark in the NFL for evaluating players is usually that if you can run 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, you're considered a very fast player - three of Kansas City receivers can run under 4.35! That is 'Olympic track' kinda fast.
"Tampa, on the other hand, have a big guy in Mike Evans, who is a tough matchup for cornerbacks because of his length - he is the first guy in NFL history to have a 1,000-yard season in each of his first seven years in the league!
"The Bucs also have Chris Godwin, who has outstanding hands and is a good route runner, and if Antonio Brown is healthy, he gives them a vertical threat. Scotty Miller can get past you too."
Jeff says: "No question; I think Rob Gronkowski is going to be key in this game!
"I believe the Tampa Bay tight ends is a favourable matchup against the Kansas City secondary, because they have the size and the athleticism, no matter who the Chiefs put on them. So, I think that's where the Bucs look to throw the ball early and often.
"Gronk, even to this day, is such a good blocker - by far the best of any of the tight ends in this game. He has lost a bit of his route-running ability, but he is still so big and strong that he uses his body well against smaller players.
"Travis Kelce, by contrast, is more of a really good route-runner, with good hands. Mahomes has so many guys he can throw the ball to, and you're always going to be concerned about the vertical aspect of the Kansas City passing game... but then what are you going to do about Kelce?
"He is the master of finding space and understanding where to be when plays go off-script - he has unbelievable chemistry with Mahomes!
"Everyone is talking about Kelce, and they should because he is the best tight end in football, but I also wouldn't sleep on Gronk and the Tampa Bay tight ends."
Jeff says: "Chris Jones, the defensive tackle for Kansas City, is an elite pass rusher from that position. While Tampa have two outstanding linebackers or defensive ends on the outside in Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, who are dynamic off the edge.
"Pierre-Paul and Barrett have to turn it loose and get at Mahomes and the Chiefs' banged-up offensive line, because if they don't get pressure on him, it is going to be a long day!
"The last time these teams played earlier this season, for the first 14 snaps of offense that Tampa Bay were on the field, the Chiefs blitzed them with five or more guys on eight of those plays. So defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo knows he has to get to Brady, and he has to get pressure vertically.
"As for the Bucs, they too have the reputation of being a 'pressure' team, they didn't hardly do it at all, so their DC Todd Bowles is surely going to take another look at that and figure out a way to send some blitzes after Mahomes."
Jeff says: "I'm a big fan of both of these guys. Andy Reid is about as nice a guy as you're ever going to meet in coaching. And Bruce Arians, there's not a disingenuous bone in his body - he is going to tell you exactly how he feels about things and he is going to use colourful language to do it - which is okay with me!
"What is interesting about the Super Bowl is, you've got to be careful that the size of the game isn't too big for the players - but you've also got to guard against that for the coaches.
"These two aren't shy. They're not going to leave a great play uncalled on their play sheet due to fear it's not going to work.
"Arians has been attributed to this 'no risk it, no biscuit' mantra, but Reid also is a guts coach. We watched him take his backup quarterback, with the game on the line against the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round, go for it on fourth-and-one at midfield! That even shocked Tony Romo on commentary.
"Both of these guys are going to be fun to watch and the game is going to be wide open and exciting. It has all the makings of a classic."
Join us on Sky Sports NFL and Main Event from 10pm on Sunday, February 7 for 90 minutes of Super Bowl LV build-up with Kirk Cousins, Dallas Clark and Cliff Avril joining Neil Reynolds and company; Sky One will broadcast the game from 11pm.
