Ricky Dimon
Show Bio
Well, it doesn’t get much better than this: the greatest of all time against the greatest right now. Yes, it’s Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LV.
Brady is already a six-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Super Bowl MVP. This will mark his 10th appearance in the biggest game in American sports. Mahomes is the reigning Super Bowl MVP, having led the Kansas City Chiefs past the San Francisco 49ers last year. The 25-year-old was also the 2018 NFL MVP and will likely finish runner-up to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers this season.
Brady once again making history
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had not been to the playoffs since 2007, and had not won a postseason game since Super Bowl 37. Now they will become the first team in NFL history to play a Super Bowl at home. That’s right; the Feb. 7 festivities will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. To say this franchise’s fortunes have completely turned around with Brady at the helm would be a gross understatement. At 43 years old, the GOAT threw for 4,633 yards with 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the regular season.
During these playoffs, Brady has led the Bucs to road wins over the Washington Football Team, the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints, and the top-seeded Packers. Brady threw an uncharacteristic three interceptions in the conference title game, but he also passed for 280 yards and three TDs. Against the Football Team and the Saints, he accounted for five scores (one on the ground) without committing a turnover.
Brady is a +250 second choice to win Super Bowl MVP.
Future is now for Mahomes
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out whom Brady trails in the MVP odds. That, of course, would be none other than Mahomes (+110). And why not? Although Brady is defying time, Rodgers is going to win NFL MVP, Josh Allen is on the rise, and Mahomes reasserted himself as the best quarterback on the planet during conference championship weekend. The former Texas Tech star completed 29 of 38 attempts for 325 yards with three TDs and no INTs, thoroughly outplaying Allen as Kansas City overcame an early 9-0 deficit to beat the Buffalo Bills 38-24 for a second consecutive AFC crown. Meanwhile, in the NFC showdown, Brady and Rodgers were combining for a quartet of interceptions.
Mahomes’ well-earned reward is a head-to-head battle with Brady in what is arguably the most highly anticipated Super Bowl quarterback matchup ever.
Patrick Mahomes was in kindergarten when Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl.
Now Mahomes will face Brady for the title 19 years later 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JKk7WefNBv
— ESPN (@espn) January 25, 2021
Who has the edge?
We have cautioned against fading Brady in the playoffs, and for good reason. It may require something special to take down this Tampa Bay team, but the Chiefs are just that: special. They are now 16-2 this season, primarily because of Mahomes but also thanks to weapons like Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman. Brady is surrounded by plenty of great skill-position players, too, but they are nowhere near as dynamic as Mahomes and company.
As if Kansas City’s offense needs any help, Tampa Bay is dealing with two key injuries at safety. Antoine Winfield Jr. missed the NFC Championship with an ankle issue and Jordan Whitefield hurt his left shoulder against Green Bay.
Even at full strength, it’s almost impossible for any defense—even one as good as that of the Bucs—to contain Mahomes and the Chiefs. Both the MVP odds and the outright Super Bowl odds (Kansas City -3) suggest such containment won’t happen on Feb. 6.
And we can’t argue.
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