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Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay
With around two weeks to go until Super Bowl LV kicks off, the anticipation for the biggest match in the NFL calendar is reaching fever pitch. The field of aspiring contenders has now been narrowed down to just two, with reigning champs the Kansas City Chiefs set to defend their crown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The stage is set for what’s gearing up to be the most exciting final matchup in years, with bookmakers unable to pick a clear favorite ahead of Super Bowl LV on February 7th. With that in mind, here’s a look at the two finalists and their various merits in advance of the season finale next month.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers were the only team left in the last four of the competition who didn’t top their division during the regular season. After sustaining five losses and finishing behind the New Orleans Saints in NFC South, the Buccaneers rallied to overcome Washington in their wild-card play-off, setting up a grudge match against the Saints in the divisional play-offs. Another strong performance saw them edge through to the semi-finals, where they dispatched the Green Bay Packers 31-26 after a masterclass in passing and game management from NFL legend, Tom Brady.
That stunning victory meant that the Buccaneers become the first team to ever contest a Super Bowl inside their own stadium. With home advantage offering the Buccaneers an unprecedented advantage over their opponents, it’s no surprise that betting sites like snabbareodds.com believe that they are only slight underdogs going into Superbowl LV. Meanwhile, Brady’s three touchdown passes in the NFC Championship game sank the Packers and meant Brady becomes the first man to appear in 10 Super Bowls, where he will seek to become the first to ever win seven of them. Only the brave would bet against it.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were one of the favorites to retain their title at the beginning of the season and they still look like a steady bet as we come to the business end of things, being slightly favored by the bookmakers. After storming to the top of their division with 14 wins and just two losses during the regular season, they squeezed past the Cleveland Browns in the play-offs and then comfortably overcame the Buffalo Bills to clinch the AFC Championship and seal their place in the Super Bowl for a second consecutive season.
The man behind that success is Patrick Mahomes, the young quarterback who is widely regarded as the Next Big Thing in the NFL. After an inauspicious start to their game against the Bills, the Chiefs tightened up their defense impressively and Mahomes added the sparkle, completing three touchdown passes. The MVP from last season’s Super Bowl said he was looking forward to locking horns with one of the best the sport has ever seen: “Being able to go up against one of the greatest if not the greatest quarterback of all time, it's going to be a great experience for me,” explained Mahomes. “To go out there and have the chance to repeat (the 2020 win) and get to do it against the best, it's something special and I'm excited for the opportunity.”
