Super Bowl 2021 odds, line: Chiefs vs. Buccaneers picks, predictions from SN experts

A Super Bowl billed as Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes — a quarterback battle of the ages, the GOAT against his rightful heir — figures to be a shut and thrilling coin-flip. 

Which is not specifically how Sporting News’ NFL industry experts see it, nevertheless. Super Bowl 55 between the Chiefs (14-2) and Buccaneers (eleven-five) is likely to be competitive, according to our predictions, but SN’s writers are unanimous in their picks to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2021.

Kansas Town opened as a three.five-place favored above Tampa. That line has given that shifted slightly toward the Bucs, resting at -three as of Monday, as the “residence group” awaits the defending champions at Raymond James Stadium. The SN workers also sees an offensive showcase surpassing the Vegas place whole (fifty six.five), with five of six writers projecting the above.

Underneath are all of our qualified picks for Super Bowl 55, complete with explanations for each decide and rating predictions for Chiefs vs. Buccaneers.

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Super Bowl 2021 predictions: Professional picks for Chiefs vs. Buccaneers

• Locale: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
• Kickoff time: 6:thirty p.m. ET
• Tv set: CBS
• Position distribute: Chiefs -three
• More than/underneath: fifty six.five
• Moneyline: Chiefs -167, Buccaneers +one hundred forty five

Vinnie Iyer: Last calendar year in this place, I somehow went with a decide versus Patrick Mahomes. Let us correct that now, because the Chiefs are actively playing as complete Super Bowl reigning champions.

Tom Brady has carried out great operate primary the Buccaneers and elevating their offensive effectiveness. The “residence group” also has a really fantastic in general protection. But the Chiefs counter very well and have QB enjoy, pass protection, coaching and working experience all on their aspect on top of that unstoppable, overwhelming feeling. Despite the fact that Brady will have his typical Super Bowl times, Mahomes will have a good deal more of his to guarantee the Chiefs repeat, retaining himself on a special trajectory to rack up rings.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Buccaneers 27

Monthly bill Bender: Patrick Mahomes passed for 462 yards in the normal-period conference, and at just one place it looked like Tyreek Hill would set the single-sport acquiring document. Tackle Eric Fisher’s damage is a significant storyline specified how Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul ended up ready to blend for five sacks in the NFC championship sport, but Mahomes provides more of a problem for the reason that of his mobility.

Glance for a comparable sport to arise the 2nd-time all over. Kansas Town will create a to start with-half lead driving TD passes to Hill and Travis Kelce, but Tom Brady — as he so normally does — will lead a comeback in the 2nd half. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski will make their share of plays in the passing games, and Leonard Fournette will be more associated this time all over.

In the close, nevertheless, the Chiefs do not give Brady a opportunity to lead the sport-winning push. Mahomes wins Super Bowl MVP honors yet again, and Andy Reid begins pondering about a a few-peat.

Prediction: Chiefs 35, Buccaneers 32

Mike DeCourcy: There is no this kind of matter as an undeserving Super Bowl entrant. Receiving into the NFL Playoffs, when margins in the league are so slim involving achievement and failure, is an underrated accomplishment. Maneuvering via these playoffs to the top stage is astounding.

Often, that achievement needs to be embraced — because that’s as fantastic as it’s going to get.

The Buccaneers ended up a seven-nine group a calendar year ago. They ended up five-eleven the calendar year ahead of that. Now, they are a Super Bowl group. Quickly they will be a Super Bowl loser, but right until kickoff they can revel in the right away high-quality of their achievement. They brought in an “aging” Tom Brady, watched him wrestle with the conversion to a new technique, read these who doubted it at any time would just take and now can chuckle at these who questioned if he could be profitable with a various group, at an age when most NFL gamers are very long given that retired.

The Super Bowl will not be about Brady, nevertheless. It will be about how Tampa can end Patrick Mahomes. They did an exceptional occupation versus Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. But this is even a half-stage over and above that. And they won’t thrive. Mahomes is too elusive, too inventive. It will not be straightforward for KC, but it will be carried out.

Prediction: Chiefs 33, Buccaneers 24

Matt Lutovsky: The Buccaneers do not have many weaknesses, but if there’s just one place they battle, it’s pass protection. That is not ideal versus Patrick Mahomes and company, so except the loss of Eric Fisher (Achilles’) opens the doorway for Tampa’s reliable pass hurry to wreak havoc, Kansas Town ought to have a essential edge. 

Tampa will be ready to run with its dynamic duo in the backfield — and it figures to shut down KC on the ground — but Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill are actively playing so very well it might not make any difference. Throw in an opportunistic Kansas Town protection versus a somewhat miscalculation-inclined Bucs offense, and you have just adequate explanation to like the Chiefs listed here.

Prediction: Chiefs thirty, Buccaneers 24

Joe Rivera: The more items adjust, the more they stay the similar.
 
While the Chiefs are not actively playing the 49ers in the Super Bowl this calendar year, the matchup seems to be really comparable in a good deal of ways, and a good deal like past calendar year, the Chiefs’ protection is the essential ingredient that is not been talked about adequate throughout a different KC romp via the playoffs.
 
While Patrick Mahomes (deservedly) will get most of the praise for currently being a human “Madden” glitch, the Chiefs’ protection held just one of the NFL’s most strong offenses to just 15 factors via a few quarters in the AFC championship sport, with a few inconsequential scores bumping up the Bills’ whole to 24 factors.
 
The Chiefs are, as soon as yet again, actively playing a top-level protection with a really killer pass hurry. Without having left tackle Eric Fisher (out with an Achilles tear), Kansas Town will have its palms full with each Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, nevertheless Mahomes’ mobility and Andy Reid’s imaginative enjoy-calling will likely mitigate the danger of the pass hurry, a lot like they did in Super Bowl fifty four.
 
In purchase to beat a Brady-led group, you have to enjoy a near perfect sport. Tampa Bay’s broad receiver corps is going to be a good deal to offer with. The run sport will be, too.
But the “Patrick Price” is going to be too a lot for Brady and the Bucs to spend, and Mahomes will get his playoff revenge for the 2018 AFC championship sport loss to then-Patriot Brady.

Prediction: Chiefs 34, Buccaneers 24

Billy Heyen: As a lot as everybody will monthly bill this matchup as Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady, it’s seriously Mahomes as opposed to the Buccaneers’ pass hurry. Mahomes, the far superior quarterback than Brady at this stage, needs to be neutralized for Tampa Bay to have any shot of winning.

We presently noticed in Week twelve that the Buccaneers have no shot of covering Tyreek Hill. And Travis Kelce has verified time and yet again this period that basically no just one can guard him. If Mahomes has time to stand in and deliver to his top weapons, it’s going to be a very long working day for the de facto residence group in Tampa. Even if Mahomes won’t have time, he may possibly just be too fantastic to end, in any case.

Of course, it’s remarkable that Brady is in his 10th Super Bowl in his to start with calendar year with a new group at age forty three. But for all his GOAT-ness, Brady can’t influence Mahomes’ effectiveness in Super Bowl 55.

Prediction: Chiefs 34, Buccaneers 24