Super Bowl Odds 2021: Chiefs vs. Buccaneers Box Score, Game Predictions

Five of the past six Super Bowls have been decided by 11 or fewer points. And it's likely we're in store for another competitive championship matchup this season.

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. When they met in Week 12 of the regular season (in a matchup that was also in Tampa Bay), the Chiefs squeaked out a 27-24 victory.

That was also the last time Tampa Bay lost a game, as it ended the regular season with four straight wins and has notched three postseason road victories against the Washington Football Team, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, Kansas City is 16-2 (playoffs included), with one of those losses coming when it rested its starters in Week 17.

Here's everything you need to know about Super Bowl LV, along with predictions for how the game will unfold.

Super Bowl LV Information

Date: Sunday, Feb. 7

Start Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Betting Information

Spread: Kansas City (-3)

Over/Under: 56 points

Moneyline: Kansas City -162 (bet $162 to win $100); Tampa Bay +140 (bet $100 to win $140)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Box Score Prediction

1st Quarter

Buccaneers 7, Chiefs 6

2nd Quarter

Chiefs 13, Buccaneers 7

3rd Quarter

Buccaneers 21, Chiefs 19

Final

Chiefs 33, Buccaneers 27

Game Preview, Predictions

The Chiefs' offense can only be contained for so long. They averaged an NFL-high 415.8 total yards per game during the regular season, and no other team in the league reached the 400-yard mark. In the playoffs, they've averaged 438.5 total yards over their first two games.

Although the Buccaneers will keep things close (and limit the Chiefs' offensive production early), Kansas City will get rolling late and score a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to win its second consecutive Super Bowl. If that finish sounds familiar, it's because it's close to what they did last year in Super Bowl LIV.

Last season, Kansas City trailed the San Francisco 49ers by 10 points entering the fourth quarter. Then, it scored a trio of touchdowns, outscoring the 49ers 21-0 in the fourth, to pull out a 31-20 victory and capture its first Lombardi Trophy since the 1969 season.

Kansas City's offense had no trouble piling up yards against Tampa Bay the first time these teams met this season, even though the Bucs have had a solid defense (particularly against the run). The Chiefs totaled 543 yards, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes passed for a season-high 462 yards and three touchdowns.

Super Bowl LIV wasn't the only time Kansas City came out on top in a high-stakes situation, despite not always being in the best circumstances. In the divisional round, it had to protect a five-point lead in the fourth quarter, even after Mahomes left due to a concussion and was replaced by backup quarterback Chad Henne.

Still, Kansas City found a way to win. And it appears to have the confidence to do something similar if it faces tough situations in Super Bowl LV.

"We might not have been able to handle that with our 2018 team, but we've been through that adversity. We've been through those battles," Mahomes said, per Dave Skretta of the Associated Press.

It also helps that the Chiefs have Mahomes leading their team. After clearing the NFL's concussion protocol in the week leading up to the AFC Championship Game, he went on to pass for 325 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Buffalo Bills.

"Mahomes checks so many boxes. It's really hard to describe to people how special this guy is," former NFL quarterback and current CBS analyst Tony Romo said, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press. "I can’t think of somebody in history that you just go through and keep going because everyone has a weakness and you’re trying to find everyone’s weakness as an analyst or every team’s scheme weakness and figure it out. I really feel like he’s just the rare guy."

It's Mahomes' talent and his ability to lead the Chiefs to win after win that will power them to another Super Bowl victory. Although the Bucs will have a late lead, the 25-year-old and Kansas City will orchestrate a drive that results in a go-ahead touchdown.

Then, Tampa Bay will run out of time to get down the field to score a game-winning touchdown. It will start to pick up yards, but the game will come to an end before it reaches the end zone.

With that, the Chiefs will earn another impressive victory and cap a dominant season with a Super Bowl title. And it wouldn't be surprising to see Kansas City continue to be a championship contender in the years to come.

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