Super Bowl Positional Preview
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in all of sports. It takes years of sacrifice to reach this incredible honor, and most players go their entire career without ever being a part of one.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have surpassed their competition with offensive barrages and impressive defensive stands, and both teams have earned the right to represent the NFL on its biggest stage.
Each roster boasts 53 talented players, and it will take a full team effort to be able to emerge victorious. Both teams have strengths and weaknesses, and key positions will be the difference between being covered in confetti and walking off the field in sadness.
Here are some of the key units to watch out for this Sunday.
Quarterback: EDGE - Chiefs
While Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, he doesn’t have the talent that Patrick Mahomes does. This regular season, Mahomes threw for more passing yards (4,740 to 4,633) and ran for more rushing yards than Brady (308 to 6).
Mahomes is in the prime of his career. Brady is still a talented passer, but he can’t scramble well, and he doesn’t have the arm strength to truly compete with Mahomes.
Additionally, Mahomes finished with a better completion percentage, less interceptions and a higher average quarterback rating (QBR) and passer rating than Brady this season.
Both quarterbacks have the leadership ability to get the win, but Mahomes has much more potential left in the tank.
Running Backs: EDGE - Buccaneers
The Chiefs on paper should crush this matchup. However, the Chiefs’ rushing attack hasn’t been incredible this season.
The combination of Clyde Edwards- Helaire and Le’Veon Bell combined for 1,057 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the regular season. In the postseason, the backs have combined for just 13 rushing yards and one touchdown.
The Chiefs’ rushing attack isn’t very formidable at all. However, the Buccaneers have a two-headed monster in their RB room.
Leonard Fournette, the former No. 4 overall pick from LSU, has two touchdowns and 211 yards rushing this postseason. This contribution from “Playoff Lenny” is helping keep opposing defenses off balance, and it gives Brady more options.
Ronald Jones, the former second-round pick from USC, is also a solid rusher, as he was just 22 rushing yards shy of the 1,000 yard mark during the regular season. While he hasn’t done much this postseason, Jones’ value can’t be ignored.
The Chiefs’ rushers are better on paper, but the Buccaneers’ backs are better where it matters.
Receivers and Tight Ends: EDGE - Chiefs
The Chiefs and the Buccaneers both have lethal receiving corps, but the Chiefs have a slight edge here.
Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill both were in the top 10 for receiving yards and touchdowns this season. This dynamic duo combined for 2,692 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns.
The combination of Kelce and Hill continues to torch opposing defenses in the playoffs and decimate inferior secondaries.
However, the Buccaneers are not far behind with their receivers.
The Buccaneers’ wide receiver corps features Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown. This combination of players has proven to be the downfall of opposing secondaries, and this group should be able to find success against Kansas City’s defense.
In one of the best receiving matchups in Super Bowl history, the Chiefs have the edge.
Offensive Line: EDGE - Buccaneers
According to teamrankings.com, the Buccaneers allowed a sack just 3.54% of the time, which was the third-lowest mark in the NFL. The Chiefs came in at fourth just .01% behind them.
Pro Football Focus also ranks the Buccaneers’ offensive line above the Chiefs’ o-line with Tampa Bay coming it at No. 5 and Kansas City coming in at No. 11.
The Chiefs allowed 22 sacks this season with 147 yards lost due to sacks, while the Buccaneers allowed 21 sacks with 143 yards lost.
These two units are incredibly close, but Tampa Bay narrowly wins this matchup.
Defense: EDGE - Buccaneers
The Chiefs and the Buccaneers are pretty comparable at stopping opposing receivers, but the Buccaneers win this matchup because of their ability to stop the rush.
The Chiefs’ defense ranked 14th in the NFL this season giving up 3,779 passing yards. The Buccaneers’ defense ranked 21st allowing 3,945 yards passing.
However, while the Chiefs allowed 1,954 rushing yards this season (21st in the NFL), the Buccaneers allowed the fewest rushing yards with just 1,289 – almost 200 yards less than the next closest team, the Colts, with 1,448.
The Buccaneers should be able to make the Chiefs one dimensional, which will force Mahomes to truly do it all in the biggest game in his career.
Eric Fenstermaker is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email him at esf5129@psu.edu
