The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking for their second ever Super Bowl win and their first in 19 years when they face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. The Bucs scored nearly 500 points this season, as we’ve been told by the statisticians from Betway Sports, ranking third in the NFL in that category while finishing eighth in the league in points allowed. The Bucs won three straight road games to reach this game.
Here is a look at five players who will be key performers for the Bucs in this year’s Super Bowl:
- QB Tom Brady
Brady is one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game. At 43. He is not as athletic as he was earlier in his career, but there’s nothing he hasn’t seen in this game and few players work harder at staying in shape than the former Michigan star. He threw for 40 touchdown passes this season.
Brady has won six Super Bowls and is playing in his tenth, more than any quarterback in NFL history. This is the first time he is playing for a team other than the New England Patriots.
He always plays his best in big games and looks to show that he’s far from finished in his 21st NFL season.
- RB Leonard Fournette
Fournette gained only 367 yards this season backing up Ronald Jones, but he’s come up big in the playoffs when Jones was out with an injury. Fournette is a tough, between the tackles runner and a reliable receiver who helps keep the chains moving.
The former first round pick of the Jaguars had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons with Jacksonville before joining the Bucs this season.
If Fournette can run the ball effectively, the Bucs can keep Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense off the field.
- WR Mike Evans
Evans led the Bucs with 70 catches for 1,006 yards receiving this season. He’s a deep threat who has good hands and rarely drops a pass.
Brady loves to find Evans deep and he is adept at splitting a zone defense or beating his defender when they try to cover him man-to-man. The Texas A&M alum had 13 receiving touchdowns this season to lead the Bucs.
Look for Brady to try to find Evans early and often in the Super Bowl.
- DE Jason Pierre-Paul
Pierre-Paul led the Bucs with 9.5 sacks. The former New York Giant knows how to get after the passer from the edge and teams with ILB Devon White to help pressure opposing quarterbacks consistently.
This combination will have to come up big if the Bucs hope to minimize the damage Mahomes can do against the Tampa Bay defense.
- DL Ndamukong Suh
Suh is a veteran lineman who can stuff the run and rush the passer. He had six sacks this season and was credited with 19 quarterback hits. He is tough to move out of the middle and has good athleticism for a man of his size.
Suh has a mean streak and opponents rarely enjoy playing against him. He will try to slow down the Chiefs running attack and can wear down opposing linemen over the course of a game.
Any one of these players has a chance to earn a spot on the all-time Super Bowl team.
Read more NFL tips at Betway’s Insider.
