TAMPA, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 29: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to pass in the second quarter during their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 29, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
One Patrick Mahomes stat will have Buccaneers fans worried ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup.
This year’s Super Bowl truly features an all-time matchup between Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. The latter heading to the NFC allowed for some first-time postseason matchups and now he will look to assert his dominance in the Super Bowl once again.
While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing at home, they are still underdogs against Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. One Mahomes stat, among many others, proves why the Chiefs are so tough to stop on offense and why it is hard to bet against them in any game.
Mahomes and the Chiefs are nearly automatic in the red zone
Mahomes being so dominant in the red zone is one thing. Then consider how the Buccaneers have the 19th-ranked red zone defense in 2020 and it may take a shootout to take down the Chiefs on Sunday.
The first meeting between these teams back in November saw Mahomes tear up the Tampa defense. He threw for 462 yards and three touchdowns. Only one came in the actual red zone, but that’s only because Mahomes and Tyreek Hill connected for touchdowns of 75 yards and 44 yards in the first quarter. They were doing so well there was no need to even get down to the 20-yard line.
The Chiefs took that first meeting by a final of 27-24 as the Bucs finally slowed down the Kansas City offense after a 17-point first quarter. That unit should have a better plan in place to slow Hill, which could mean longer drives for the Chiefs that reach the red zone.
Mahomes is already on pace to be a legend of the game. It will take a proven legend in Brady to slow down that narrative, while the Bucs defense can help the cause as well with a red zone stop or two.