Just like that, the NFL season has concluded. In a way, it was appropriate that the Super Bowl was a rather disappointing game. This season has felt like five at times and it will be one that history may not look back in a positive manner. Did I say positive? Either way, this game left all of us regardless of fans or experts as dumbfounded at what happened. At the end of the day, the Buccaneers won 31-9 and there was more than enough that went right and enough that went wrong in this game. Let’s look first at our Super Bowl Champs and what they did to win this game.
The Bucs won on the edge
This was the clearest exposure in the game. We knew Eric Fisher being out for the game would be a weak point for the Chiefs offense but we didn’t know how much it would be. The Bucs won constantly with their pass rushers against the Chiefs tackles and it ultimately won the game for Tampa Bay. Not only were the Bucs able to constantly hit Patrick Mahomes but they were able to force his hand, getting the ball out quickly and thus improving the coverage. Even with Mahomes being able to scramble and try to create, the Bucs edge rushers had the speed to keep up with Mahomes.
Todd Bowles disguised coverage and pressure
If there was anyone that deserved the MVP of this game, it was Todd Bowles. Bowles reminded us that it’s not just about finding the great head coach but hiring a great coaching staff. Before the game, I alluded to one of the keys being disguising pressure but Bowles didn’t just get creative on blitzes but also on coverage. There were times that Tampa ran “Tampa 2” where they dropped two-deep safeties and had one of their linebackers deep in coverage. Likewise, we saw the Bucs play 3-deep and force the Chiefs to win underneath. The way the defense was able to counter the Chiefs’ speed with mixed coverages is simply incredible.
The Bucs won on play-action
The Buccaneers didn’t just win this game on defense. They won this game by scoring enough points and with a great game plan. The first drive showed us what Tampa wouldn’t be able to do and since that punt, we saw the exact formula to win. The Bucs ran the ball downhill and more importantly, won off the play-action. We saw Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate not only block down on run plays but slip out on the play-action to constantly burn the Chiefs defense. Moreover, Tom Brady was able to take deep shots and draw penalties with the corners continuously having their backs to the ball.
What Went Wrong for the Chiefs?
The Chiefs were their own worst enemy in this game. In a way, it felt like the only team that could beat them was themselves. While the Buccaneers played a good game, the penalties the Chiefs committed essentially ended this game. The Chiefs were constantly feeding the Bucs scoring opportunities with careless penalties. It’s one thing to play press coverage and naturally gets called for pass interference but it’s another to line up offsides on a field goal or to constantly force the offense to drive 20 yards for a first down.
Aside from the small penalties leading to a great deficit, we saw the value of special teams. The Chiefs played well on the kickoffs but their punter (Tommy Townsend) shanked two too many punts in the first half when the Chiefs couldn’t afford to give Tampa Bay good field position. Moreover, the Chiefs will look back at this game wondering how they couldn’t have play-called to their advantage. They had some great zone-runs where they gave the defense misdirection with a receiver in motion. Why didn’t they attempt more of that? The offense had the plays in place to win but never adapted to the situation and for the first time, were outcoached offensively.
What else did we learn from this Super Bowl?
Throughout the Buccaneers playoff run and this Super Bowl, there were a few lingering takeaways. The first one, which I glanced over earlier, is that blocking matters. The second, and probably most important for those teams that are in the middle tier, is the gap between a Super Bowl team is sometimes just a quarterback. Thinking about the Bucs when they had Jameis Winston, a team hovering around the .500 mark, to suddenly become Super Bowl Champions reminds us that the quarterback position, at times, is the only position. Tampa Bay had all the pieces there, and they did have a solid draft class, and they also brought in Rob Gronkowski and Leonard Fournette, but this team was accelerated by quarterback play.
The season has concluded and it might be a longer offseason than usual. but at the end of the day, this season was a fun one to watch. It was a mess, the NFL barely made it through the pandemic season. It’s hard to predict the future but looking back, I’m grateful for the NFL giving me and many others a time that was meaningful and sacred.
