If anyone was trying to make an argument that Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. wasn’t the greatest quarterback to ever put on the pads and helmet, they will surely have to come to terms with the fact that they were mistaken. The 43-year-old quarterback put up yet another Super Bowl-winning performance (201 yds, 3 TD) as the Buccaneers won their first championship since 2002 and their second in franchise history.
The chemistry between Brady and partner in crime Rob Gronkowski (6 catches for 67 yards) was on full display as the two connected for two touchdowns in the first half, with another former Patriot, Antonio Brown, catching Brady’s other touchdown pass. Leonard Fournette (16 carries for 89 yards) added a score on the ground in the third quarter to round out the Bucs’ touchdown scoring efforts.
The Tampa Bay defense will more than likely not receive the credit they deserve for shutting down Patrick Mahomes (270 yds, 2 INT) and the rest of the dynamic Kansas City offense. The Chiefs were completely kept out of the end zone, an impressive feat considering the scoring success the team has enjoyed under Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid. Travis Kelce, who had ten catches for 130 yards, managed to find some success in an otherwise disastrous night for the offense. The story of this matchup was much different than that of their first in Week 12, where Mahomes threw for 462 yards and three touchdowns with Tyreek Hill hauling in all three scores in the first half as the Chiefs were victorious 27-24.
There’s no doubt that Mahomes and the Chiefs will be back. However, as long as the ageless Brady is still suiting up, the road to the Lombardi will never be an easy one.
The Hilltopper 