WHAT TO WATCH 4
Key matchup
Buccaneers outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul is still going strong at 32 after a fireworks accident in 2015 that led to the amputation of his left index finger and part of his middle finger and thumb, and then a car accident in 2019. He had 9½ sacks this past season and two against the Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
Pierre-Paul heads a red-hot defensive front — which also includes tackle Ndamukong Suh and outside linebacker Shaq Barrett — that sacked Aaron Rodgers five times in the victory over the Packers. With nose tackle Vita Via in his second game back from a broken leg he suffered against the Bears in Week 5, the Bucs’ defensive line figures to be even stronger.
The Chiefs’ expected tackles, Mike Remmers and Andrew Wylie, will be on the spot. Remmers is a journeyman who replaced injured right tackle Mitchell Schwartz in Week 7. Wylie, an undrafted free agent in 2017, started 14 games at right guard in 2020 but is expected to start Sunday at right tackle — with Remmers moving to left tackle — after starting left tackle Eric Fisher suffered an Achilles injury in the AFC Championship Game.
The Chiefs’ line, under line coach Andy Heck, has been good at working through injuries. But so was the Packers’ line until the Bucs’ front exposed the absence of AllPro left tackle David Bakhtiari.
Trending
The Bucs are 7-0 since their bye week, which followed a 27-24 loss to the Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 29. Quarterback Tom Brady has a 110.8 passer rating in those seven games — 19 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He has had to gut it out in the playoffs, completing 55, 55 and 56% of his passes in three games and throwing three interceptions against the Packers.
Player to watch
Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is the ultimate threat. He had 13 receptions for 269 yards and three touchdowns (75, 44 and 20) against the Bucs in Week 12, including eight catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as the Chiefs took a 20-7 lead.
Hill has come up big in the playoffs. He had eight receptions for 110 yards against the Browns in the divisional round and nine receptions for 172 yards against the Bills in the AFC title game.
X-factor
The Bucs will be the first team to play the Super Bowl on their home field. The restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic will limit attendance to 25,000, but the Bucs still figure to have some sort of home-field advantage.
At the very least, they didn’t have to travel for the Super Bowl after returning from Green Bay after the NFC title game. The Chiefs, per an NFL mandate, also spent Super Bowl week at home, practicing in Kansas City before flying to Tampa on Saturday. Both teams are used to unorthodox schedules and game environments, but this will be a Super Bowl unlike any in recent years.