The Post’s football experts make their predictions for the winner of Super Bowl 2021:
Mark Cannizzaro
Chiefs 36, Buccaneers 30
Sure, the Buccaneers have the better defense. That’s their most realistic path to victory. But the Chiefs are simply the better, more explosive team with the better quarterback in Patrick Mahomes (6-1 in the postseason), despite all that Tom Brady has accomplished and this being his 10th Super Bowl. Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and WR Tyreek Hill are uncoverable by any defense.
Brian Costello
Buccaneers 27, Chiefs 24
Former Jets coach Todd Bowles does enough to slow down Patrick Mahomes, and Tom Brady does enough to get the Buccaneers their second Lombardi Trophy. This one could come down to Kansas City’s banged-up offensive line against the Bucs’ pass rushers. I think they will get to Mahomes and force him into some rare mistakes.
Ryan Dunleavy
Buccaneers 35, Chiefs 34
Andy Reid against Bruce Arians? There’s a chance for more 40-yard completions than punts in the game. Tom Brady is the last quarterback to win back-to-back Super Bowls. He will play a big game to stop Patrick Mahomes’ bid to do the same and join old rival Peyton Manning as the only starting quarterbacks to win Super Bowls with two different teams.
Paul Schwartz
Buccaneers 27, Chiefs 23
This is a nod to the better defense. The Buccaneers have more game-breakers on that side of the ball, and they learned their lesson from their regular-season loss to the Chiefs that speed, unchecked, kills. Patrick Mahomes will do some amazing things, but not enough of them. Tom Brady will be named MVP and get his seventh ring.
Steve Serby
Chiefs 27, Buccaneers 24
More of a defensive slugout than the Over/Under total indicates, but Brady versus Mahomes feels destined to come down to last man with the mall. Magic Mahomes gets it last, and Bill Belichick gets another chance to beat TOMpa Brady to a seventh Super Bowl championship.
Mike Vaccaro
Chiefs 31, Buccaneers 17
Patrick Mahomes played a pedestrian game across most of last year’s Super Bowl — and still won by 11 points. If Mahomes brings even his A-minus or B-plus games, it’s going to be hard for Tampa Bay to keep up. And if he’s an A or an A-plus? This will be a coronation as much as a celebration.
