Can't sleep so may as well post! 5 thoughts on this game I don't think are being mentioned enough.
1 - Brady's impact on this game. While it was clearly a team win and the defense deserves all the praise it is getting, Brady played a great game and was firmly in control most of the way. He often got the ball out quickly. Part of it was due to design but part of it was him making reads. He didn't make a single bad pass this game. That Int that was turned over by a penalty was fluky. So I'm glad he didn't get nailed for it. Some moments not being talked about enough this game by Brady. Before that 3rd TD pass Brady was yelling at the sideline to keep the same personel in after KC's last timeout. He certainly felt he could exploit something, and was proven right. Another big play is when he fell on that high snap as opposed to trying to make something happen. Once he was in control of the game he never even gave it the chance to get away from him. He passed 20 times in the first half and 9 in the second. He made plays in the second half when needed, but he let the game come to him otherwise once in control. It wasn't flashy, but people who understand the game will see it as the master class of slowly strangling the other team to death. He would have had 4 TDs if Haeg didn't drop one, and maybe even 5 if not for the bad snap which stalled a drive. The final two drives they were more focused trying to bleed clock than score. Even if the Buc's D didn't do what it did tonight, Brady and this offense could have possibly scored 40 if they really needed to the way they were playing.
2 - Kelce's impact felt empty. Kelce had 10 catches for 133 yards. And it led to very little. This is something opposing teams need to look at carefully next year. Kelce gets open, but he isn't explosive. Letting KC get the ball in Kelce's hand is clearly the much better of the two options. They also gave him special attention on 3rd down. I talked a lot about this before the game. That Kelce is their 3rd down guy. They realized that and played him tight those downs and were fine to let him feast on less meaningful ones if it meant making sure Hill or Hardman couldn't get behind them. This is a blueprint the rest of the league should look at very closely. I think there may be something to it. Not that it will shut down KC typically, but I think this is the way every team should play them.
3 - Special Teams - The Bucs dominated this part of the game. Pringle had a good 41 yard return, but it wasn't back breaking. And perhaps even more importantly, why the heck was he returning punts? Why not put the ball in the hands of Hardman or Hill? Stupid! Townstead had 2 very bad punts and they didn't help the KC cause. Both FG kickers were perfect. That offsides stands out big time on 4th down. This is twice against Brady KC's committed a huge off sides penalty. It won't get the spotlight it deserves in hindsight, but it was big in the first half.
4 - KC's LBs need an upgrade - They have been bad since 2019. They were slapped around tonight big time. If the Bucs meet KC again, I don't see them not being able to impliment a similar offensive game plan if they have the vast majority of the same personnel. Keep in mind, the KC D was healthy in this game. This was their A team, and while it is certainly good in certain spots, this is a problem they need to fix. As they are now, if they play TB again next year in the super bowl with the same issue I don't see how TB shouldn't be considered the favorite again all things being equal.
5 - The Bucs interior held up really well vs Jones. This was the best match up KC had on paper against the Bucs O. Some back up vs Chris Jones. was damn near invisible all game. And yet he is lost in the mix. He absolutely deserves some heat. Imagine the boost it would have given KC while down if Jones beat that back up to get a strip sack on Brady. It could have turned the game around, and he had a match up he should have been able to exploit to do it. Chris Jones deserves a ton of blame for his under performance.
PS: Godwin needs to be thought over carefully by the Bucs. He had a bad run these playoffs, got injured a fair amount this year, not unlike last year. And most importantly Brady and him aren't syncing up enough. They've had some very nice plays at times, but this year has not worked out nearly as well as they hoped. If I was the Bucs, I would have a serious discussion about if they are trying to perhaps force a square peg in a round hole or if it was just truly a fluky year. It is a big decision for them with huge cap ramifications.
