Chiefs vs. Buccaneers: Latest Odds, Picks After Super Bowl 55 Opening Night

All Super Bowl Opening Night events, or Media Days as they were previously christened, are unforgettable.

But the 2021 iteration was an event like no other.

Forced into a virtual format by the COVID-19 pandemic, the first night of Super Bowl Week festivities lacked the traditional fanfare, but it was still an interesting watch and, more importantly, a reminder that the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are about to play for all the marbles.

With Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady going head-to-head, the instant-classic potential of this matchup is impossible to overlook. And oddsmakers agree, as they're calling for a high-scoring nail-biter.

After laying out all the particulars of the upcoming contest, including the latest lines from DraftKings Sportsbook, we'll go under the hood to predict how this football thrill-ride might play out.

Super Bowl LV

Who: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When: Sunday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida

TV: CBS

Latest Line: Chiefs -3 (O/U 56.5)

So, the first team to 50 wins?

OK, maybe that's (slightly) overselling the fireworks about to take place at Raymond James Stadium. After all, no Super Bowl has produced a final combined score north of 75.

But if any game were to break that threshold, wouldn't it be one quarterbacked by Brady and Mahomes? The former is the greatest to play the position. The latter is the greatest to currently man the spot.

The mutual respect between them is what you'd expect from players of this ilk.

"He's got all the physical tools, and he's got all the mental tools," Brady said of the Chiefs star. "He's gonna be in this game quite a few more times in my opinion."

Mahomes held up the 43-year-old as a blueprint he's hoping to follow.

"The way he's able to dissect defenses before the snap is something that I truly admire, that I'm trying to get to that level," he said. "The way he's able to move within the pocket and be able to reset his feet and be completely calm and still make the throw right on the money no matter who's around him is something that I have to continue to work on."

This game isn't all about the quarterbacks, of course, but when you have two players from the absolute highest tier at the position, it's a logical place to start.

It doesn't hurt that they both have electric weapons at their disposal. Mahomes can work wonders with speedster wideout Tyreek Hill and matchup nightmare tight end Travis Kelce. Brady's wide receiver targets include Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown and Scotty Miller, plus his old safety net in tight end Rob Gronkowski.

A 300-yard performance from either quarterback hardly seems out of the question. If anything, it almost feels more likely than not that both will clear that number.

If that's the case, where will the matchup be decided?

This will all come down to minimizing mistakes and maximizing opportunities. That has long been a strength of Brady, but Mahomes might be at a different level at this point in their respective careers.

Brady threw three interceptions last time out, while Mahomes has thrown a single interception his past four games combined. Brady matched his highest interception total in a decade with 12 this season, but Mahomes has thrown 11 total interceptions over this season and last.

Brady isn't shy to take big shots, especially under the direction of Bucs coach Bruce Arians, but Mahomes bettered him in yards per attempt (8.1 to 7.6) and longest completion (75 to 50). The Kansas City signal-caller also enjoyed a slight advantage in completion percentage (66.3 to 65.7).

Maybe Tampa's aggressive defense can throw Mahomes off rhythm. Maybe the Bucs' wealth of pass-catchers can do more than their counterparts. Perhaps the fact that Tampa will be the first Super Bowl participant to play on its home field will prove a bigger advantage than anticipated.

Watching these two teams, though, it's hard not to think the Chiefs are the better team with the better quarterback. The margin of each distinction is up for some debate, but the final takeaway remains the same.

If our crystal ball is as trusty as we think, Kansas City will successfully defend its crown.

Prediction: Chiefs 34, Buccaneers 28

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