New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis wants to see Drew Brees return for another season."I hope so. I sure hope so. I would feel much better if I could guarantee that he was," Davis said on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" when asked if Brees could come back, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra.The linebacker also joked that doubts over the veteran quarterback's ability could prompt Brees to delay retirement."I guess the only way I could be able to guarantee (a comeback) was if one of y'all said something reckless, like, 'He's finished,' or something, then I could guarantee he's coming back. But I sure hope so," Davis added.Speculation over Brees' retirement has followed the quarterback throughout the 2020 season. The veteran said he's weighing his options before making a decision. Head coach Sean Payton expects Brees to decide in the coming weeks.Brees struggled with his arm strength during his potential final campaign. He also missed four games due to a collapsed lung and multiple rib fractures.Brees threw three interceptions during the Saints' divisional-round loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He waved to the New Orleans crowd as he exited the field.If Brees doesn't return for his 21st season, either Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill will likely be the Saints' quarterback. Winston is set to be a free agent but the team has expressed interest in having him return.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears the Denver Broncos can be added to Deshaun Watson's list of preferred trade destinations.Broncos cornerback Kareem Jackson said to TMZ Sports on Thursday that Watson, a former teammate, told him that he's open to joining the AFC West club."I had a couple of conversations with him," Jackson said. "Just with him saying that Denver is a place that's he's interested in landing."Jackson stressed that he doesn't know if the Broncos would want to pay what will likely be a king's ransom for the Houston Texans quarterback.While the cornerback praised current Broncos starter Drew Lock, he added that Watson is a "special talent.""I mean, if Deshaun Watson goes anywhere, they are automatically contenders," Jackson said.Watson has reportedly put in a formal trade request after his relationship with Texans ownership deteriorated due to the quarterback being left out of the team's recent general manager search.Watson was apparently also irked by Houston initially opting not to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for its head coaching vacancy. The Texans ultimately hired Baltimore Ravens assistant David Culley.Despite rumors of widespread interest in Watson, Houston has been adamant that the 25-year-old won't be moved."We have zero interest in trading the player," general manager Nick Caserio said last week. "We have a great plan and vision for him. We look forward to spending more time with him."The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets have been suggested as Watson's top landing spots. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly open to acquiring the Texans star if they can get adequate trade compensation for Derek Carr.Watson's recent four-year, $156-million extension contains a no-trade clause.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's so much to bet on ahead of Super Bowl LV, from MVP to game props to the coin flip. But one prop is studied, anticipated, and debated more than any other. I'm referring, of course, to the length of the national anthem.Last year, we nailed the under on Demi Lovato's rendition, which clocked in at 1:49 - six seconds shorter than the closing line. This year, the duo of Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan are expected to check in right around the two-minute mark.Not every book offers an anthem-related prop, but many bettors will still be invested in the length of Sunday's performance. So, I donned my detective's cap and investigated the curious case of this year's rare duet. Roll the tape!A brief history of the anthemFirst, let's check the archives to see what we can learn from past performances. The average time over the last three decades has been roughly 1:55, while 16 of the last 23 anthems finished in under two minutes, according to Jason Logan of Covers.com.Here's a look at every anthem since 2007, the first year with available betting data:YEARSINGERTIMEO/URESULT2020Demi Lovato1:491:55Under2019Gladys Knight1:491:50Under2018Pink1:532:00Under2017Luke Bryan2:042:09Under2016Lady Gaga2:092:22Under2015Idina Menzel2:042:02Over2014Renee Fleming1:542:23Under2013Alicia Keys2:352:15Over2012Kelly Clarkson1:341:34Push2011Christina Aguilera1:531:54Under2010Carrie Underwood1:471:41Over2009Jennifer Hudson2:102:04Over2008Jordin Sparks1:541:47Over2007Billy Joel1:301:44UnderSince Alicia Keys' record-long performance in 2013, the anthem has gone under in six of the last seven years with an average length of 1:57. Three straight have finished in under two minutes, assuming your book stops the clock after the first "brave."Church (43) and Sullivan (33) are among the older artists to perform the anthem in recent years, which is good news for under bettors. Since 2007, the six artists aged 33 or older went 5-1 to the under, averaging a 1:52 finish.This is just the second duet in Super Bowl history and the first since 2006 when Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin traded verses in a performance that lasted 2:08. Church told the Los Angeles Times' Mikael Wood that this year's performance - which both singers say is driven by a message of unity - will force each artist out of their "natural key." That suggests more harmonizing than dueling solos, which is a welcome sign for those betting on a shorter duet.If this year's line closes at two minutes, it'll be tied for the third-shortest mark in nine years and the ninth-shortest since 2007. The previous eight artists priced at two minutes or shorter went 5-2-1 to the under.Who is Eric Church?Church's renegade vocal style and subversive songwriting have helped him become one of country music's biggest stars, but he's never performed the national anthem before.Six country artists have gotten the call ahead of the Super Bowl, which doesn't include cross-genre artist Jewel, who sang the anthem in a record-low 1:27 in 1998. Even without her, the numbers speak for themselves:YEARSINGERLENGTH2017Luke Bryan2:042010Carrie Underwood1:472003Dixie Chicks1:332000Faith Hill2:001993Garth Brooks1:451974Charley Pride1:15Those six country singers averaged 1:44, and only Luke Bryan exceeded the two-minute mark - though he still ended five seconds under the betting line that year. The three male singers in that group averaged a brisk 1:41.Unlike some of his predecessors, Church isn't known for his technical talents. He told Apple Music Country's Kelleigh Bannen that he's a "stylist, not a vocalist," and that he vowed to never sing the anthem - a notoriously difficult song for those with limited vocal range - before changing his mind when he heard Sullivan's voice. Jason Kempin/ACMA2020 / Getty Images Entertainment / GettyHis admiration for Sullivan's talent is another hint that this could go under. When asked about the plan for this year's anthem, Church said the two would start practicing this week and he hoped to incorporate guitar into his performance. Will that slow him down?"We're keeping it based around the melody," he told Wood earlier this week. "Basically, if I can stay out of her way, we're golden."That doesn't sound like an artist looking to embellish his notes on Sunday.Who is Jazmine Sullivan?Sullivan has drawn praise not just for her powerhouse vocals but for a raw, versatile approach to her music. She's among the best current artists yet to win a Grammy, and this opportunity is another step toward becoming a household name after her latest album, "Heaux Tales," topped the R&B charts.Does that mean reinventing the anthem in hopes of a star turn? Not exactly. Here's what she had to say about this year's event, which will mark the 30-year anniversary of Whitney Houston's beloved rendition in 1991:"Obviously, nobody can do another version, a better version than Whitney," she told ET's Nischelle Turner. "But I'm just here to represent for my people and go up there and sing and bring some soul to it." Bennett Raglin / Getty Images Entertainment / GettyShe's certainly done that in the two anthem performances floating around the internet this week. She sang the anthem alongside a background guitar player - sound familiar? - at a Philadelphia 76ers game in 2014, which lasted 1:44. Two years later, she shaved six seconds off that time ahead of an NHL Stadium Series game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.Like Church, she insinuated at harmony to this year's version, telling Turner she's excited to "blend the different sounds of music and just show some unity" with Sunday's performance. If her previous showings both clocked in below 1:45, why should an accompanying singer add 15 seconds to her time?How long will the anthem take?We have two examples of Sullivan performing the anthem, both coming well short of two minutes. Church is new to the task, though his style and genre suggest a swift performance, as do comments by both singers ahead of their duet.Even the producer, Adam Blackstone, has a history of shorter anthems. He provided the music for Ne-Yo's rendition at the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, which was hailed for its simplicity and lasted 1:55 despite a long hold on "brave."That's really the only thing that could derail the under this year. If Sullivan bleeds the final note dry, there's no telling how long it could go. Otherwise, all signs - including the weather in Tampa, a smaller crowd, and the pressure to reduce time together on stage in a COVID-impacted event - point to a short, sweet, and powerful performance on Sunday.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady may no longer be a member of the New England Patriots, but team owner Robert Kraft will be pulling for his former quarterback to earn his seventh Super Bowl title Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs."I'm rooting for Tom Brady," Kraft told CBS Sunday Morning in an interview that will air Sunday. "I'm so excited. We've had some great communications and he is such a special human being. We were privileged to have him here for two decades, and he's one of the finest human beings I've ever met."He knows how to lead, and I wish him well," Kraft added. "I really hope he wins Sunday."Brady shocked the football world by leaving New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March after an unprecedented 20-year run with the AFC East club. He won six Super Bowls, appeared in three others, and earned three MVP awards during his time with the Patriots.The 43-year-old quarterback has only had positive things to say about his time with New England in the run-up to Super Bowl LV, saying last week he "wouldn't change anything" about his two decades playing for Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick.Kraft and Patriots fans will likely need to get used to seeing Brady having success outside of New England, as the future Hall of Famer said Monday he's open to playing beyond his long-stated goal of age 45.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles are receiving calls from other teams regarding the availability of Carson Wentz, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.However, the Eagles still intend to keep the quarterback, Rapoport adds.Wentz was reportedly unhappy when the team benched him in favor of rookie Jalen Hurts down the stretch, and he's seeking a move if he doesn't return to the starting position.The signal-caller's strained relationship with the organization stems from tension with former head coach Doug Pederson, who was fired after the season. His termination hasn't completely erased all of the quarterback's concerns, though Wentz hasn't formally requested a trade, Rapoport notes.During their search for a new head coach, the Eagles reportedly told candidates they intend to keep Wentz. The franchise hired Nick Sirianni to be its head coach, and he provided no timetable for when a decision will be made on the starting quarterback job.Wentz's contract makes a potential departure complicated on Philadelphia's end. The signal-caller signed a four-year, $128-million extension in June 2019 and has an abundance of guaranteed money coming his way.The Eagles will owe the passer a $10-million roster bonus if he's on the team by the third day of the 2021 league year - which is also when $15 million of his base salary for 2022 becomes fully guaranteed.Drafted with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, Wentz regressed mightily in 2020. He completed under 60% of his passes and tossed a league-leading 15 interceptions.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians knows the magnitude of the task his team faces in trying to stop Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes."He can do anything and everything," Arians said Wednesday, according to ProFootballTalk's Myles Simmons. "There is no pocket because he keeps backpedaling, and no one in the league - any league - can stop him from throwing that ball. Or he'll keep backpedaling and throw that ball as accurately down the field as he can."He is a very, very unique player."Mahomes, who's set to face the Buccaneers in his second Super Bowl in three years as a starter, has already torched Tampa Bay's defense once this season. The 25-year-old former MVP threw for 462 yards - the second-most of his career - and three touchdowns in a 27-24 victory in Week 12.Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady also had a big day in that game, racking up 345 yards and three touchdowns. But the 43-year-old veteran also had two second-half interceptions as he attempted to keep pace with the high-flying Chiefs.The six-time Super Bowl champion should have more reliable reinforcements if Sunday's game also turns into a shootout: Tampa Bay's pass defense has taken leaps and bounds since Mahomes shredded it, giving up an average of 238 yards through the air since then.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Surely you've read everything you can find in the lead-up to Super Bowl LV between the Chiefs (-3.5, 56.5) and Buccaneers - from MVP odds to game props to the Gatorade color dumped on the winning coach. But what about a good ol' fashioned side bet? We've got you covered. Here are some of the key trends and X-factors you need to know before wagering on Sunday's game.Trends and resultsIf you just look at the surface-level numbers, it's hard not to like the Bucs. They rank No. 1 in weighted DVOA and have covered six of their last eight games dating back to a Week 12 ATS win over the Chiefs, which was one of Tampa Bay's four ATS wins in five tries as an underdog.Conversely, Kansas City had lost nine straight ATS - depending on the number in Week 15 - before defeating the Bills for the AFC championship, which marked the team's fourth ATS win in its last five playoff games. The Chiefs have also won all seven of Patrick Mahomes' starts coming off a week of rest, going 4-3 ATS in that spot.Kansas City coach Andy Reid has been a wizard with an extra week to prepare, boasting a 21-11 ATS record in his career with a 6-3 ATS record in the playoffs. The rest of the situational trends skew Tampa Bay's way. Wild-card teams are 7-2-1 ATS in the big game, while Super Bowl teams avenging a regular-season loss of a touchdown or less are 6-2-1 ATS in the title rematch.Tom Brady is also 38-17-1 ATS as an underdog in his career, with 33 outright wins in 56 tries. He's the last quarterback to win consecutive titles and hopes to spoil the Chiefs' bid - defending champions are 6-7 ATS in the Super Bowl, including 0-4 ATS when giving fewer than 6.5 points.X-factorsChiefs' offensive line vs. Buccaneers' pass rushEric Fisher's season-ending injury last week earned at least one mention from most talking heads, but it's mostly been treated as a footnote amid a flood of information. Make no mistake: this is a big deal, and it could be a deciding factor in this game.The injury forces Mike Remmers, who has played zero snaps at left tackle since 2016, into a new spot with just two weeks to prepare for the biggest assignment of his life. The Bucs won't make it easy - they rank third in pressure rate (27.9%) and fifth in blitz rate (39%), and the duo of Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett is a nightmare for opposing tackles.Remmers moving to left tackle also forces right guard Andrew Wylie to kick out to right tackle, leaving two inexperienced linemen at arguably the worst spots against this Tampa Bay front. If they can't hold up, that will decide this matchup.Tyreek Hill vs. Buccaneers' secondaryThe last time these two teams played, Hill exploded for a career-high 269 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 15 catches, with much of that coming in the first quarter. It simply can't happen again if the Buccaneers are to win Sunday.Their defense ranked near the league average against wide receivers during the regular season - even with the Hill explosion - and they've done an admirable job containing the likes of Davante Adams, Michael Thomas, and Terry McLaurin this postseason. Still, Tampa Bay's secondary has been vulnerable to the deep shot, which looms every time Hill steps on the field.Tom Brady vs. Steve SpagnuoloIn some ways, Sunday's contest for Brady is personal; he faces the defensive coordinator that robbed him of football's greatest achievement. Spagnuolo's game plan with the Giants foiled the undefeated Patriots in 2008 - forcing Brady into what's arguably the quarterback's worst Super Bowl performance - and he's 3-2 against Brady in his career, including 2-0 with the Chiefs.Pressure is the name of the game for Spagnuolo's defense, which blitzes 35.7% of the time with a top-five knockdown rate (12%). Brady struggled under duress this year but found success in Week 12's loss to the Chiefs, when he threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns with just one sack. If Spagnuolo can dial up some pressure, Sunday could be a different story.Best betUnder 56.5I know what you're thinking: You aren't giving out a pick against the spread? And you aren't taking the over? Both may seem blasphemous, but the line is too spot-on - the Bucs are the more complete team, but Mahomes has a funny way of rendering advantages obsolete in games of this magnitude.Both defenses are being overlooked, though, and there's value on fading such a high total. The under is 8-2-1 in the Super Bowl with a total of at least 50, including each of the last two years. The weather could also suppress the scoring in this rematch, which also went under in Week 12. It may not be fun, but the under is the safest play to make Sunday.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While there's plenty to break down in this Super Bowl LV matchup between the Chiefs (-3.5) and Buccaneers - which we did Wednesday - the real prize for bettors is the avalanche of prop bets that surround the NFL's biggest game.Some props are yearly staples, but many bettors aren't sure how to assess a fair price or how likely a specific prop is to hit in the big game. Fear not - we dove deep into the numbers to analyze 10 of the most popular Super Bowl props and see which side holds more value this year.Will the first score be a touchdown?BETODDSTouchdown-210Any other+175Touchdowns have been hard to come by early in recent Super Bowls. The first score has been a field goal in each of the last three years - all of which included Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes - and it's been a touchdown just 25 times in Super Bowl history, including four in the last 13 years.Pick: Any other (+175)Will the winning team score first?BETODDSYes-165No+145The 49ers got out to an early lead last year before falling apart late. Don't let that deter you from betting "yes" on this prop, though. The first team to score has won 36 of 54 Super Bowls (66.6%), including eight of the last 10 and 10 of the last 13. All of those suggest value on the first scorer winning outright.Pick: Yes (-165)Will the winning team score last?BETODDSYes-185No+165While scoring first has been important in recent years, scoring last has been almost mandatory for the winning side. The last team to score has won the Super Bowl 40 times (74.1%), including seven straight and a ridiculous 22 of the last 25 years. With a close game expected, "yes" is even more appealing.Pick: Yes (-185)Will either team score three consecutive times?BETODDSYes-260No+200This is becoming more popular each year and has a reputation for always cashing, but that simply isn't the case. "Yes" has hit in 37 of 54 Super Bowls (68.5%), short of the 72.2% hit rate implied by these odds, and it's happened nine of the last 17 years. It's more likely to happen than not, but the value is still on "no" here.Pick: No (+200)Will there be a defensive or special teams touchdown?BETODDSYes+240No-300These odds may seem short, but this happens far more than you might think. There's been a non-offensive touchdown in 24 of 54 Super Bowls (44.4%), and it's happened in seven of the last 14 Super Bowls. Both scream value on the plus-money side.Pick: Yes (+240)Yardage of shortest touchdown?BETODDSOver 1.5 yards+120Under 1.5 yards-155I broke down this prop in full detail earlier this week, as it's one of my favorite values come this time of year. The shortest touchdown has been under 1.5 yards in 21 of the last 31 years and four of the last five, with three goal-line scores a year ago. This price doesn't dissuade me one bit.Pick: Under 1.5 yards (-155)Yardage of longest touchdown?BETODDSOver 45.5 yards-110Under 45.5 yards-110If you can detach yourself from visions of Tyreek Hill running roughshod through Tampa Bay's secondary, there's value to be had on the under here. The longest touchdown has been under 45.5 yards in five of the last six years and seven of the last 10, averaging 42.4 yards over that stretch. It only takes one play, but the chances of that play happening aren't high.Pick: Under 45.5 yards (-110)Number of players to attempt a pass?BETODDSOver 2.5+170Under 2.5-200It's no fun to lay heavy juice on the under of a novelty prop, but recent history suggests it's the right play here. At least three players attempted a pass in just five of the last 25 Super Bowls. Three of those came this decade, but that sample size pales in comparison to the larger trend.Pick: Under 2.5 (-200)Will there be a two-point conversion attempt?BETODDSYes-135No+105Don't be surprised to see "yes" as the favorite here - there's been at least one two-point conversion attempt in 14 of the last 26 Super Bowls and a staggering eight of the last 11. If this game reaches the scoring highs that oddsmakers expect, that only helps the chances of at least one attempt.Pick: Yes (-135)Will the last play be a quarterback kneel?BETODDSYes-180No+140The price on this prop suggests that we'd see a kneel to end the majority of Super Bowls, but that isn't the case. The Super Bowl has ended in the victory formation seven times in the last 14 years, including just three times in the last nine.Pick: No (+140)C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Mahomes versus Tom Brady is one of the major storylines heading into Sunday's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.While many believe Mahomes is the only player with a chance of matching Brady's career success, the Chiefs quarterback isn't concerned with how many Super Bowl titles he'll go on to win. His focus is only on winning it for a second straight year."We don't look that far ahead," Mahomes said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "I'm focused on this game right now, trying to win this second Super Bowl and be able to hold that Lombardi Trophy and have a second ring. But if I'm at the end of my career and I have a lot of Super Bowl rings on my hand, I'll be happy."He added, "The goal is to win as many Super Bowls as possible and to be playing in this game every single year. I'm going to have that mindset every time I hit the field."Mahomes led the Chiefs to a Super Bowl title over the San Francisco 49ers last season and is trying to help Kansas City become the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to lift the Lombardi Trophy in back-to-back campaigns.Brady, meanwhile, will make his 10th Super Bowl appearance Sunday looking to add to his record of six titles. The 43-year-old, who joined the Buccaneers during the offseason, has won all of his rings with the Patriots, the last one in Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tua Tagovailoa believes he represents the future at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins despite criticism over his production and speculation of his team seeking an upgrade.“I would say yes. What I can do is control what I can control. My focus is being the best person I can be," Tagovailoa responded when asked if he's the team's quarterback going forward on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football."Tagovailoa's rookie performance has led to his name being floated in trade rumors recently. The Dolphins have been linked to disgruntled star quarterback Deshaun Watson and one reported trade proposal could see Tagovailoa going the other way in a swap.A heralded prospect, the Dolphins used the No. 5 overall pick on Tagovailoa in the 2020 NFL Draft. He began the season backing up veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick but eventually was promoted to starter.Tagovailoa's play as a starter wavered as the season wore on. Benched in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders, the rookie was inserted back into the lineup for a win-and-in season finale against the Buffalo Bills. He struggled mightily, throwing three interceptions in a 56-26 loss.He described his rookie campaign as "below average" but is committed to using it as a learning experience. Tagovailoa put up a 6-3 record with 11 touchdowns to five interceptions.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A matchup for the ages is set for Super Bowl LV.Here's how the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers stack up against one another at each position ahead of Sunday's finale:Quarterback Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyIs Brady vs. Mahomes the greatest quarterback matchup in Super Bowl history?On one side, we have arguably the greatest football player of all time. Brady will try to win his seventh Super Bowl title on Feb. 7 - which would extend his own quarterback record - in what will be his 10th appearance in the Big Game.On the other, there's the NFL's current best quarterback, who many believe can create the league's next dynasty and potentially threaten Brady's GOAT status. In fact, the Mahomes-led Chiefs can be the first back-to-back champions since the Patriots did it in 2003 and 2004.Both signal-callers ranked in the top four in passing yards and touchdown throws during the regular season, and they've continued to produce in the playoffs.Playoff gamesComp. %Yards per gameTDsINTRateMahomes273.529040118.5Brady355286.67390.8It's unusual for Brady not to be the best quarterback in a head-to-head comparison. Only a superstar talent would be able to edge him - Mahomes is that guy.Advantage: ChiefsRunning backsChiefsBuccaneersClyde Edwards-HelaireLeonard FournetteLe'Veon BellRonald JonesDarrel WilliamsKe'Shawn VaughnKansas City's and Tampa Bay's biggest strengths aren't in the running game - they were two of the 10 teams with the fewest rushing attempts during the regular season.The Chiefs moved the ball on the ground better than the Bucs in 2020, averaging 112.4 yards per game against Tampa Bay's 94.9.But that has changed in the postseason. With Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Le'Veon Bell battling injuries, Darrel Williams has been Kansas City's top runner despite averaging just 65 yards per game. Meanwhile, Ronald Jones' injury gave Leonard Fournette an opportunity to shine: Fournette has three touchdowns and over 300 scrimmage yards through three postseason appearances this year.Both teams should have their main runners healthy in Super Bowl LV, which will close the gap on this comparison. For now, Fournette's momentum gives Tampa Bay a slight edge at the position.Advantage: BuccaneersReceiversChiefsBuccaneersTyreek HillMike EvansTravis KelceChris GodwinSammy WatkinsAntonio BrownMecole HardmanRob GronkowskiDemarcus RobinsonCameron BrateByron PringleScotty MillerTyler JohnsonThe Chiefs and Buccaneers have stellar receiving corps, both featuring future Hall of Famers.Tampa Bay has arguably the NFL's deepest group of receivers. Mike Evans led the team with 1,006 yards and 13 touchdowns, and the arrival of Antonio Brown midway through the season helped the club overcome an inconsistent year from Chris Godwin. Having two reliable tight ends with Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate doesn't hurt, either.Kansas City still has the best players here. If we had to rank all the pass-catchers from both teams combined, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce would top the list. The Chiefs' duo earned first-team All-Pro nods this season after ranking in the top 10 in both receiving yards and touchdown catches. Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyAdditionally, the Chiefs' receiving depth isn't to be underestimated, as few rosters have third and fourth options with as much playmaking ability as Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman. This group is a nightmare to any defense.Advantage: ChiefsOffensive lineChiefsBuccaneersLTMike RemmersDonovan SmithLGNick AllegrettiAli MarpetCAustin ReiterRyan JensenRGStefen WisniewskiAaron StinnieRTAndrew WylieTristan WirfsIn this postseason, the Buccaneers have faced three teams that finished the regular season ranked in the top 10 in sacks, and yet Brady has been sacked just five times - only twice in the last two contests combined. Tampa Bay's offensive line clearly isn't flawless but it often steps up when it matters the most.Meanwhile, the Chiefs are preparing for Super Bowl LV without their two starting offensive tackles. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz remains on injured reserve due to a back ailment, and Pro Bowl left tackle Eric Fisher suffered an Achilles injury in the AFC title game and won't play in the season finale. That means Mahomes will play his eighth career playoff game without his blindside blocker for the first time.Mahomes has been sacked just once through two games in January. Granted, the signal-caller has a unique ability to extend plays and avoid sacks, but the Chiefs received the seven-highest pass-blocking grade during the regular season, while the Buccaneers ranked 16th, according to PFF.The offensive line hasn't been an issue for either the Chiefs or Buccaneers, and Kansas City may even have the numbers on its side. However, we still don't know how much the reigning champions will miss Fisher. That can be a big problem.Advantage: BuccaneersFront sevenChiefsBuccaneersDLFrank ClarkNdamukong SuhChris JonesVita VeaAlex OkaforWilliam GholstonTanoh KpassagnonDerrick NnadiLBsAnthony HitchensJason Pierre-PaulDamien WilsonDevin WhiteLavonte DavidShaq BarrettThe Buccaneers racked up 48 sacks during the regular season - fifth-most in the NFL - and they've recorded seven sacks in the playoffs, including five in the NFC title game.Additionally, led by All-Pro linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David, Tampa Bay's front seven has been excellent against the run, holding opponents to fewer than 105 rushing yards in each of its three playoff matchups. Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Chiefs' front seven is also coming off a great outing after registering four sacks in the AFC Championship Game. During the regular season, Kansas City knocked down opposing passers on 11.3% of their pass attempts, ranking slightly ahead of Tampa Bay (10.7%).Overall, the Chiefs have solid playmakers on their defensive line - Chris Jones and Frank Clark, in particular - but the team's linebackers often lack consistency, which hurts their ability to stop the run.Advantage: BuccaneersSecondaryChiefsBuccaneersCBsBashaud BreelandCarlton DavisCharvarius WardJamel DeanL'Jarius SneedSean Murphy-BuntingRashad FentonSafetiesTyrann MathieuAntoine Winfield Jr.Daniel SorensenJordan WhiteheadJuan ThornhillMike EdwardsAndrew AdamsBoth secondaries are coming off tough conference championship matchups, and while the two units passed their tests, the Chiefs' group deserves a ton of credit for limiting the red-hot Buffalo Bills to 24 points.During the regular season, Tampa Bay ranked 21st in passing yards allowed, and it received PFF's third-highest grade for pass coverage. Kansas City, meanwhile, ranked 14th and 10th in those categories, respectively.Here's how opposing quarterbacks fared against the two secondaries in 2020:Comp. %Yards per gameTDsINTsRatevs. Chiefs62.7236.3291689.4vs. Buccaneers69246.6291594.3Kansas City has been especially strong against wide receivers, allowing the second-fewest yards to the position this season. However, the team gives up the third-most yards to tight ends, largely because of its limitations at linebacker.This is the second straight year the Chiefs' secondary is stepping up in January, but this time Kansas City might boast more individual talent on its roster. The team found a reliable playmaker in rookie cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, and Tyrann Mathieu often reminds us why he's a three-time All-Pro.The Buccaneers' defensive backs have been forcing clutch turnovers during the playoffs, so we shouldn't be shocked if they steal the show in Super Bowl LV. But as a unit, we've seen more from the Chiefs' secondary.Advantage: ChiefsSpecial teams Chiefs BuccaneersKHarrison ButkerRyan SuccopPTommy TownsendBradley PinionKRMecole HardmanJaydon MickensThe Chiefs' special teams unit is unquestionably one of the NFL's best. But it has somewhat struggled in the team's previous two playoff games. Harrison Butker missed two kicks against the Cleveland Browns and Hardman fumbled at his own 3-yard line versus the Bills.The Buccaneers are a different story: Ryan Succop has converted 15 straight attempts since missing his first try against the Washington Football Team in the wild-card game and Jaydon Mickens is coming off the best performance of his career against the Packers.Tampa Bay's momentum on special teams made this a close comparison but the Chiefs' individual talent deserves the edge.Advantage: ChiefsCoaching Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyBruce Arians is looking for his first Super Bowl title as a head coach while Andy Reid finally won his first in 2019 and is trying to go back-to-back.Reid became the first head coach ever to host the conference championship game for three straight seasons with different teams this year (in the early 2000s, he accomplished the feat with the Eagles) and his offense, which has the support of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, continues to torch opponents.On the other side, Arians' offensive game plan received some criticism during the regular season, but the unit got better as the campaign progressed. Tampa Bay's defense, which is coordinated by Todd Bowles, also deserves a ton of credit.While the Bucs might be more balanced on both sides of the ball, Reid's outstanding job with the Chiefs' offense has created a juggernaut. And he bested Arians during the regular season.Advantage: ChiefsCopyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, theScore's NFL editors Michael McClymont, Mike Alessandrini, and Alex Chippin join Boone to preview Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The NFL's chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, said Wednesday that the league's overall COVID-19 positivity rate this season was 0.08%, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.There have been 262 coronavirus cases among players and 463 among other personnel since Aug. 1, per Sills."We feel that our club facilities truly were some of the safest possible locations," Sills said.The NFL had its share of outbreaks. The Tennessee Titans' Week 4 and Week 5 games were postponed after they recorded a number of positive cases in September. The Ravens had their Thanksgiving matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers rescheduled three times due to an outbreak in Baltimore's facility.Each NFL team had at least one player test positive, but the league hasn't had to postpone or reschedule an entire week."This was an unusual year. This is one we're not looking to replicate," NFL vice president of communications Jeff Miller said, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post. "Let's be straight about that. We're hoping next year we can return to normal. But in the meanwhile, we did what I think was responsible."Still, just days away from Super Bowl LV, two Kansas City Chiefs players were deemed close contacts of someone who'd tested positive for COVID-19. A barber that was scheduled to give haircuts to more than 20 Chiefs, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tested positive and was notified while cutting center Daniel Kilgore's hair, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.The barber was dismissed and Kilgore and wideout Demarcus Robinson were placed on the Chiefs' COVID-19 list. However, Sills isn't yet concerned that the incident will affect Super Bowl LV."At this point, we feel like we're in a good position with that. And we'll just continue to monitor it," Sills said, per Maske.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Donald's reaction to the blockbuster trade between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions last week was the same as everyone else's: He was stunned."I'm pretty sure everybody was shocked with it," Donald said Wednesday on "The Dan Patrick Show."However, although Donald said he'll always love Jared Goff - who was traded along with several draft picks to the Lions for Matthew Stafford - the defensive tackle is excited to see what his new quarterback can add to the Rams."Stafford's a great quarterback," Donald said. "I'm excited about having him with the team. A veteran guy that knows the game, that been playing the game at a high level for a long time."Donald played five years with Goff as teammates in L.A., helping the Rams reach one Super Bowl while making the playoffs three times.Donald, 29, earned an All-Pro nod for the sixth time in his career this past season after racking up 13.5 sacks and four forced fumbles through 16 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antonio Brown is apparently trending in the right direction ahead of Super Bowl LV.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver returned to practice in a limited capacity on Sunday, head coach Bruce Arians said, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine.Brown did not play in the NFC Championship Game because of a knee injury and did not practice at all last week.Safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) and Jordan Whitehead (shoulder, knee) were also able to return to practice Wednesday.The Bucs reportedly expect Brown, Winfield, and Whitehead to be ready to go for Sunday's matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The prop board for Super Bowl LV is wide-open. Bettors can get down on virtually anything under the sun, from pre- and postgame, to exotic, to cross-sport props.They aren't nearly as obscure, but standard game props shouldn't be overlooked, either. Let's go over some of our favorites.Total sacksOver 4.5: +120

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera didn't guarantee Alex Smith's spot on the roster during Wednesday's press conference."We'll see how it goes, but right now we're in a situation we're looking at all of our options," Rivera said, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.Smith returned from a serious leg injury in 2020 and played in more games than any other Washington quarterback despite beginning the season in a backup role. However, the veteran ranked just 31st in yards per attempt (6.3) and 29th in yards per game (197.8).New Washington general manager Martin Mayhew praised Smith for stepping up but acknowledged the need for improvement."We've just to go through the process. We've got a lot of work to do," Mayhew said, according to Matthew Paras of The Washington Times.Washington offered a first-round and third-round pick for former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford before he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.Mayhew stressed being practical when pursuing a franchise-caliber passer, saying he aims to be "smart" but also "aggressive." Rivera agreed, adding that Washington will be patient."We've got to make sure we find the right one. That's the key," Rivera said. "We're going to exhaust every avenue. Would I like to find one? Absolutely. But we're not in a hurry,"Washington won the NFC East this season despite finishing with a 7-9 record.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second straight year, the Kansas City Chiefs are in the Super Bowl.The AFC champions look similar to last year's squad on the back of Patrick Mahomes and an explosive offense, but a few alterations - some forced and some not - have Andy Reid and Co. back in the big game.Here's how the Chiefs built the team that could be on the verge of establishing a dynasty:Key playersYearDraftFree agentTrade/waiver2013TE Travis Kelce2014S Daniel Sorensen2016WR Tyreek HillDT Chris Jones2017QB Patrick MahomesK Harrison ButkerDE Tanoh Kpassagnon2018DT Derrick NnadiWR Sammy WatkinsCB Charvarius WardRT Andrew WylieC Austin ReiterLB Anthony HitchensRB Darrel Williams2019WR Mecole HardmanS Tyrann MathieuDE Frank ClarkS Juan ThornhillCB Bashaud BreelandCB Rashad FentonDE Alex OkaforLG Nick AllegrettiLB Damien Wilson2020RB Clyde Edwards-HelaireRG Stefen WisniewskiCB L'Jarius SneedRB Le'Veon BellLB Willie Gay Jr.LT Mike RemmersP Tommy TownsendContinuity is keyIn a league featuring great parity, Kansas City stands above the rest. A handful of recent Super Bowl qualifiers have failed to make the playoffs the following year, let alone back to the championship game. The New England Patriots are the only example of this level of sustained success.The Chiefs are likely going to continue its run for years to come. Seven of 11 offensive starters hold their same spot in the lineup from last year's win over the San Francisco 49ers, as well as 10 of 11 defensive starters. Most of the changes to Mahomes' supporting cast were forced due to injuries or opt-outs.It's difficult to dominate two consecutive campaigns with a similar roster, but KC simply features too much talent at key positions. Meanwhile, the team retained offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and DC Steve Spagnuolo - and somehow will again in 2021. There's plenty of tape on the Chiefs, but possessing this many dynamic players and coaches is difficult to defend.Reid took his chess game one step further in 2020. There were contests, especially early in the campaign, where Kansas City appeared to be employing a simplified version of its playbook. The club still succeeded and saved key plays for big games. Pretty genius.Mahomes' extension alters roster construction Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyBack in March, the Chiefs had just $177 - that's 177 dollars - in cap space. Thanks to exceptional work from general manager Brett Veach, the defending champs were still able to sign Mahomes to a record $503-million deal, retain key players long term, and add new pieces.The reigning Super Bowl MVP's contract is actually quite team-friendly, as he carries a 2020 cap hit of just $5.35 million. The first five years of the agreement are essentially guaranteed before the cash begins to rise. It also features rolling guarantees and bonuses vesting before they're due to help alleviate salary concerns.Star defensive tackle Chris Jones was next. Instead of playing on the franchise tag, Kansas City inked him to an extension to keep both parties happy and save money. Travis Kelce followed, adding four years to his contract in July without any new money for the 2020 season.These moves and restructures from a few players, most notably wide receiver Sammy Watkins, gave the Chiefs just enough wiggle room to keep their roster in tact - a significant factor in why they find themselves competing for a second straight Lombardi Trophy.Young guns round out defenseDespite primarily drafting later in rounds, KC came away with a handful of impactful defensive picks over the last two years. Chief among these is 2019 second-round safety Juan Thornhill, who missed Super Bowl LIV after tearing his ACL but has stepped up as a deep-lying playmaker this postseason. He's allowing just 33% of his targets to be caught in coverage over his last five games.Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. stand out from the 2020 class. Sneed has stepped in nicely for a fourth-round selection out of Louisiana Tech, providing stout coverage outside and in the slot. He leads all rookie defensive backs, allowing opposing quarterbacks to earn a 53.4 passer rating when targeting him. Gay missed last week's win over the Buffalo Bills but has provided solid run defense while starting eight games as a rookie.Playing a significant role on Spagnuolo's unit, the trio of youngsters allow Jones, Frank Clark, and Tyrann Mathieu to utilize their strengths and match the Chiefs' offensive firepower.Sideline domination David Eulitt / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe already know Kansas City has an elite roster, but the club also possesses a trio of coaches that few opponents - if any - can match.Reid is genius, and his pairing with Bieniemy makes for a nightmare to defend. The Chiefs owned the No. 1 offense this season, including the top passing attack and No. 6 scoring unit (the starters didn't even play in Week 17). Spagnuolo's group was equally impressive considering it features less raw talent on paper, ranking 10th in points allowed and ninth in turnover percentage - two crucial measurements in an offense-heavy NFL.Veach and Reid's ability to hire and retain top assistants cannot be overlooked when evaluating the franchise's success. Both Spagnuolo and Bieniemy could arguably be top head coaching candidates - the latter should have already landed a job by now - and will play a crucial role against a complete Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineup. Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Quarterback Matt Ryan says he'll be a supportive teammate to whomever the Atlanta Falcons draft with their No. 4 overall pick, even if they select his heir apparent."I think that's part of being a team ... that you're going to be a good teammate," Ryan said Wednesday on 680 The Fan's "The Front Row," according to team reporter Kelsey Conway."And that's exactly what I would do and help where you can. ... I think whatever happens at that spot, we're all professionals, we all understand how this goes. I'm going to be the best possible teammate the way I've always been to everyone who's come in our building."The Falcons are reportedly expected to keep Ryan for the 2021 season. However, it's still possible they could look to draft the aging signal-caller's eventual replacement."You're not going to be best friends with everybody," Ryan added, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook. "But part of being a good teammate is competing and pushing people to be the absolute best they can be. Your job as an individual is to be the best player you can be and find a roster spot regardless of who's drafted or where they're drafted. ... But my personality is not to be standoffish with anybody else."Ryan is under contract for three more seasons. He carries a $40.9-million cap hit this year. The Falcons would be on the books for $49.9 million in dead money if they cut him this offseason, per Spotrac. However, Atlanta would only incur a $26.5-million dead cap hit if the team releases him next offseason and an $8.6-million hit if it cuts him in 2023.But no matter what happens with the Falcons, the 35-year-old passer intends to keep playing for as long as he's capable."I just want to play as long as I'm playing well and my body feels really good," Ryan said, according to Conway.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is entering his 17th NFL season and will soon be an unrestricted free agent, but the veteran quarterback isn't contemplating hanging up his cleats just yet."This offseason - we already saw it with (Jared) Goff and (Matthew) Stafford, obviously, who knows what's going to happen with Deshaun (Watson) - there's rumors everywhere in the quarterback market, but there are a lot of teams that are looking for a new quarterback or quarterbacks," Fitzpatrick told "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday."So, for me, personally, I have to take every offseason now and just reassess. And I know these last two years have really re-lit that fire under me, and I still want to play, and I enjoy being out there playing."Fitzpatrick started in seven games and appeared in two others for the Miami Dolphins in 2020, splitting time with Tua Tagovailoa. The journeyman signal-caller went 4-3 as a starter and helped Miami beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16 after coming in for the struggling rookie.Fitzpatrick finished the season with a career-high 68.5% completion percentage, throwing for 2,091 yards and 13 touchdowns against eight interceptions.With the NFL looking set for a dramatic quarterback carousel this offseason, the 38-year-old should garner interest as a high-end backup or as a stopgap option alongside a first-year passer."Things are a little bit more complicated for me now with my oldest going into high school and six little ones trailing behind him," Fitzpatrick said. "So there's a lot of thought that has to go into this thing, but I still love playing the game."If Fitzpatrick does continue his career, he could potentially extend his quarterback record of playing for eight NFL teams. Originally selected by the then-St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 draft, he's previously suited up for the Rams, Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The scoring prop market is one of the most intriguing ahead of Super Bowl LV. The Chiefs and Buccaneers both finished top five in offense this season, and the total of 56 suggests a relatively high-scoring affair.There are plenty of bets to pick and choose from, but where's the value at? Here are some of our favorites for Sunday.Team to score the longest TDChiefs: -143

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden offered a convincing sales pitch to impending free-agent cornerback Richard Sherman.Gruden joined Sherman on "The Cris Collinsworth Podcast" on Tuesday and discussed how the San Francisco 49ers cornerback would be a great fit for the Raiders' defense."Richard Sherman, if you are a free agent, which there is a rumor you are, we are looking for an alpha presence in our secondary. Somebody that could play this Hawk 3-press technique with the read step. If you're available and interested, maybe you and I can get together at some point off-air," Gruden said.Sherman seemed open to the idea, telling the Raiders head coach that "there is a conversation to be had, for sure."The NFL prohibits coaches from tampering with players who are under contract with other teams. However, the league declined to comment on Gruden's podcast appearance, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.The league fined the New York Jets $100,000 in 2015 for commenting on Darrelle Revis while he was still under contract with the New England Patriots. It also docked the Kansas City Chiefs two draft picks for being in contact with Jeremy Maclin before the start of free agency in 2015.The biggest link between the 49ers cornerback and Raiders is defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. The Raiders recently hired Bradley as their defensive coordinator, and he previously coached Sherman with the Seattle Seahawks.Sherman made his first All-Pro Team under Bradley during the 2012 season."Gus lives in it. Gus lives and dies by it. Eight-man box, you not going to be able to run the ball and we gon' stop the pass. He's one of the godfathers of it," Sherman said.A five-time Pro Bowler, Sherman is unlikely to re-sign with the 49ers. The 32-year-old cornerback appeared in just five games this season but has recorded 36 interceptions over his career.The Raiders are looking to bolster their defense after a poor showing in 2020. Las Vegas allowed 29.9 points per game and ranked 26th against the pass this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton wants to keep Jameis Winston as part of the team's future plans.Payton shared his desire to retain the impending free-agent passer on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" when asked of the team's plans if Drew Brees retires."We had a great exposure for one year with Jameis Winston. We didn't have a normal offseason, but we had enough time to see what we had with him as a player, as a leader, as an athlete. I really like what we had a chance to see," Payton said Wednesday."He was a tremendous leader for this team, and that's hard to do when you come in new in free agency your first year as a backup quarterback. So, that'll be an important check mark for us."A lot of times you want to hold your cards closer to the vest, and he is a free agent, but him, along with Taysom Hill ... we've said it all along, we're gonna develop and coach those guys. Jameis is one of those guys that we have a big interest in."Winston signed a one-year, $1.1-million deal with New Orleans last offseason and impressed the organization in a backup role. Payton previously noted that Winston would get a starting opportunity following Brees' retirement.There's been speculation that Brees will walk away from the game this offseason. The 42-year-old signal-caller dealt with injuries and declining arm strength throughout the 2020 campaign but is still weighing his future.Re-signing Winston won't be easy for the Saints. They're slated to be $104.6 million over the salary cap, per Spotrac.Winston played five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the Saints. He's thrown 121 touchdowns and 88 interceptions over 70 career starts.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could win their second Super Bowl in team history this Sunday, and do it on their home field.The 2020 Buccaneers' story would make for a compelling Hollywood script. Just how did a franchise that went 12 seasons without a playoff appearance find itself in Super Bowl LV with Tom Brady as the team's quarterback?Here's how Tampa Bay was built.Key playersYearDraftFree agentTrade2012LB Lavonte David2013DE William Gholston2014WR Mike EvansTE Cameron Brate2015LT Donovan SmithLG Ali Marpet20162017WR Chris GodwinTE O.J. Howard2018DT Vita VeaC Ryan JensenDE Jason Pierre-PaulRB Ronald JonesCB Carlton DavisRG Alex CappaS Jordan Whitehead2019LB Devin WhiteDT Ndamukong SuhCB Sean Murphy-BuntingLB Shaq BarrettCB Jamel DeanP Bradley PinionS Mike EdwardsWR Scotty Miller2020RT Tristan WirfsQB Tom BradyTE Rob GronkowskiS Antoine Winfield Jr.RB Leonard FournetteWR Tyler JohnsonWR Antonio BrownRB LeSean McCoyK Ryan SuccopFoundation laid through the draft Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe perception is that aging stars lead this Buccaneers team. The reality is the NFC champions were built primarily through the draft and supplemented by this year's offseason additions.Star linebacker and 2012 second-round draft pick Lavonte David endured multiple losing campaigns and is just now experiencing his first postseason. Other long-suffering Bucs players are 2015 second-rounder Donovan Smith, 2017 third-round choice Chris Godwin, and 2014 first-round pick Mike Evans, the first selection of general manager Jason Licht's regime.Licht has often been ridiculed for his wild swings and misses, particularly his daring decision in 2016 to trade up to draft kicker Roberto Aguayo in the second round. Taking kicker Matt Gay in the fifth round in 2019 was Licht's attempt to make up for that failed selection. Neither player was with the team for more than one season.Before 2019, Tampa Bay's record under Licht was 27-53, with one winning season over five years. There was a belief that Licht would be fired after the 2018 campaign. Instead, he was given another chance and then hired head coach Bruce Arians before signing a new four-year deal.Licht deserves praise for his recent draft record. The last three drafts have yielded 13 contributors and eight starters. Ronald Jones, a 2018 pick, emerged as the team's leading rusher, and 2020 first-round pick Tristan Wirfs has started every game this season at right tackle, allowing just one sack.The defense was built primarily through the draft. Stud linebacker Devin White was a 2019 top-five pick, and the entire starting secondary - including Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean, and rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. - is homegrown.Paying for a pass rush Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAs successful as the Bucs have been at building the back half of their defense through the draft, they struck out picking players who can rush the quarterback and used other means to assemble a pass rush.First came the trade for Jason Pierre-Paul ahead of the 2018 season. The Bucs sent 2018 third- and fourth-round picks to the New York Giants for Pierre-Paul. In the three campaigns since, JPP has racked up 30.5 sacks. He led the team with 9.5 sacks this year and added another two in the playoffs.Tampa Bay took a flier on Shaq Barrett in 2019, signing the former Denver Bronco to a $4-million prove-it deal. He ended up leading the NFL in sacks with 19.5. He re-signed on the franchise tag the following offseason and saw more attention from opposing offenses, ending the campaign with eight sacks. Barrett has come alive in the playoffs, sacking Aaron Rodgers three times in the NFC Championship Game.Then there's Ndamukong Suh. The defensive tackle signed a $9.25-million, one-year deal in 2019 and re-upped for $8 million this season. Paired with Vita Vea, the two have spearheaded the NFL's No. 1 run defense in 2020. Suh also contributed six sacks, his most since 2015.The Buccaneers now own a formidable pass rush brimming with confidence and are preparing to face two backup tackles in the Super Bowl.Diverse coaching staff Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWith the makings of a contender in place, the Buccaneers needed a proven coach to lead them over the hump. Dirk Koetter was fired after a 5-11 record in 2018, and in what was likely his last chance as GM, Licht turned to an old friend for help.Arians worked with Licht during his time coaching the Arizona Cardinals but retired in 2018 due to health issues. Licht not only needed to lure Arians out of retirement to get the two-time Coach of the Year, but he also had to exchange draft picks with the Cardinals to seal the deal.Arians brought a progressive staff with him to Tampa Bay. He hired Black men in all four coordinator positions, including former NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich as his offensive coordinator and Todd Bowles as the defensive coordinator. He also added two full-time female coaches to his staff, installing Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar as assistants.The Bucs set franchise records in points and touchdowns during Arians' first season in Tampa, but the club finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the 12th consecutive year. Despite leading the league in passing yards, quarterback Jameis Winston played out his contract by throwing 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. The Buccaneers were also the NFL's most penalized team.Tampa entered the offseason with two goals in mind: To retain its defensive free agents and reel in the biggest quarterback on the market.Dream Team additions Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWith the foundation set, the Buccaneers were able to add marquee free agents, most notably Tom Brady.After 20 years in New England, Brady's path no longer aligned with the Patriots. The veteran had particular characteristics in mind for his new team. Entering his age-43 season, he wanted a squad loaded with playmakers, which the Bucs possess in spades. Tampa boasted a pair of receivers in Evans and Godwin coming off 1,000-plus-yard campaigns, and play-callers that lived by the "no risk it, no biscuit" credo.Despite returning almost the same team, minus Winston, that finished 7-9 a year prior, Brady signed on the dotted line.The floodgates opened after Brady decided to chase a seventh championship in Tampa Bay. The next one in was Rob Gronkowski. The future Hall of Fame tight end cut his retirement short to play with his favorite quarterback in a friendlier atmosphere than Bill Belichick's notorious business-like environment.Then running back LeSean McCoy signed for the veteran's minimum. He was coming off a Super Bowl victory with the Kansas City Chiefs and was brought in to challenge Jones for the starting gig while also filling a vital pass-catching role out of the backfield.That was until the Jacksonville Jaguars cut 2017 No. 4 pick Leonard Fournette, who then signed with the Bucs a week before the season. It was too late to supplant Jones as the starter, but he pushed McCoy to a reserve role. Jones and Fournette would share lead-back duties, with the latter coming up clutch during the postseason run.Finally, Antonio Brown joined the fray in October. With other NFC contenders rumored to be in the running to add the receiver after his eight-game suspension, the Bucs couldn't pass up the chance to improve their depth at wideout. Evans and Godwin each battled injuries early in the season, leaving the offense without its biggest threats.Brady, Gronkowski, Fournette, and Brown each played a vital role in getting the Buccaneers to Super Bowl LV. But the Bucs wouldn't have been in a position to build a veritable "dream team" if not for the formidable core compiled through the draft.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jared Goff wants to know when he started to fall out of favor with the Los Angeles Rams, who agreed to trade the quarterback to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford."That's the tough part right now is trying to figure that out, when did that happen?" he told Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. "Those are all conversations that I may or may not have, and try to figure it out. That's the conversation to have."The Rams agreed Saturday to send Goff, two future first-round picks, and a third-round selection to the Lions in exchange for Stafford. The blockbuster trade becomes official at the beginning of the new league year in mid-March.Drafted first overall in 2016, Goff spent five seasons with the Rams, including four under head coach Sean McVay. Los Angeles went 24-7 in Goff's starts from 2017-18 and appeared in Super Bowl LIII, but the team was a more modest 18-13 in his starts over the next two seasons.Goff, who inked a four-year, $134-million extension with the Rams in September 2019, said it's "a little" weird that he hasn't received the clarity he's looking for from his former team."Regardless of how it ended, me and Sean had a great relationship and did so many great things together," Goff said. "Won a bunch of big games. Won a bunch of playoff games. Won two divisions together. Having so much success on the offense, so many good times and memories."Unfortunately, it ended sourly, but it still doesn't take away from all those times we had."The Rams made the playoffs three times in four years with Goff and McVay together. Goff will head to a Lions franchise that hasn't reached the postseason since 2016 and hasn't won a playoff game since 1991."Ultimately, they wanted to go in a different direction," Goff said of the Rams. "As the quarterback, as the guy that's at arguably the most important position on the field, if you're in a place that you're not wanted and they want to move on from you, the feeling's mutual."You don't want to be in the wrong place. It became increasingly clear that was the case. (The trade) is something that I'm hopeful is going to be so good for my career."Goff threw for 3,952 yards with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over 15 games in 2020, missing one week following thumb surgery. His 38 turnovers over the last two seasons led the league.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Remmers all but rolled his eyes Tuesday when asked about Jason Pierre-Paul saying he doesn't recognize the Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman."He can watch the tape and figure it out himself," he said, courtesy of ESPN's Dianna Russini. "But I just think I'm a hard-nosed guy, I'm a tough guy that's gonna bust his tail every single snap."The nine-year veteran started against the Buccaneers in Week 12, playing right guard. Remmers was given an opportunity to make Pierre-Paul familiar with him, but he didn't seem interested."Honestly, I don't really care what his opinion is on anything," Remmers said. "Every week that I've played in this league, I've never gone into a game thinking, 'Hey, I wonder what this guy thinks of me!' I don't care at all, it makes no difference to me, I'm just going out there to do my job."On Monday, Pierre-Paul asked reporters what position Remmers plays, telling them "I didn't even know who that was."Remmers is set to start at left tackle for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, when he'll line up against Pierre-Paul. The 31-year-old is moving over from the right side, where he had been starting for the injured Mitchell Schwartz. He'll be filling in at left tackle for Eric Fisher, who suffered an Achilles injury in the AFC title game.Pierre-Paul, meanwhile, recorded 9.5 regular-season sacks, and he's added two more in the playoffs.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It didn't take long for Le'Veon Bell to be left in awe of Patrick Mahomes after joining the Kansas City Chiefs midseason.The running back was aware of Mahomes' ability before landing in Kansas City, but the quarterback's preparation and composure have elevated his greatness to an even higher level in Bell's eyes."I always thought he was a great player, but when I came here, it hit me that he might be the greatest player ever because of the way he practices and goes about his business. ...I thought he was a 10 before I came here, now I think he's a 12," Bell said Tuesday, according to team reporter Matt McMullen.Mahomes put up another MVP-caliber season in 2020, throwing for 4,740 yards and 38 touchdowns. The 25-year-old passer will be searching for his second straight Super Bowl victory on Feb. 7, but he'll have to defeat six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.The upcoming contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will mark Bell's first chance to win a Lombardi Trophy. The Chiefs have lost just once since signing Bell, who started the season winless with the New York Jets."I came here to get to this game, and I'm here. So I look at it like I came to the right spot. I'm just happy where I'm at and I'm happy with the way the season's went," Bell said, according to Pro Football Talks' Myles Simmons. "We just have to cap it off with a Super Bowl win."The Jets cut Bell in October, and he quickly signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs despite other offers that potentially featured heavier workloads. The 28-year-old hasn't been Kansas City's primary ball carrier, but he has contributed when called upon, totaling 63 carries for 254 yards.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Looking to spice up your Super Bowl Sunday? You've come to the right place.From the football fanatic to the blissfully ignorant, this comprehensive Super Bowl LV pool has something for everyone.Whether you want to compete against your family, friends, co-workers, or strangers on Twitter, it's designed to keep even the least interested viewers entertained from start to finish.Share it, send it, print it - whatever you need to do. It's been a long year; we all deserve to have some fun this weekend.The rulesAnswer every question. All questions only have two possible answers. Every correct answer is worth one point. Most points wins.In the event that two or more entrants answer the same amount of questions correctly, the tiebreaker will be used to determine the winner.Easy enough, right? Let's do this.The ultimate Super Bowl LV office poolEditor's note: Article will be updated with correct answers on Feb. 8.1. Will the length of the national anthem be over or under two minutes?2. Who will be shown first during the national anthem: Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes?3. Will the result of the coin toss be heads or tails?4. Will Patrick Mahomes' headband be red?5. Will the temperature at kickoff be over or under 70.5 degrees Fahrenheit?6. What will be mentioned first on the broadcast: Brady's 10th Super Bowl appearance or Brady being 43 years old?7. Which team will score first?8. Will Matt Damon or Matthew McConaughey play #FlatMatthew in the new Doritos commercial?9. Will Mahomes' first touchdown pass be over or under 12.5 yards?10. Will Tony Romo mention his kids during the broadcast?11. Which team will be winning at halftime?12. Will the total points scored in the first half be odd or even?13. Will The Weeknd be wearing sunglasses when he's first shown on screen during the halftime show?14. Will Ariana Grande appear on stage during the halftime show?15. Will any player score two touchdowns in the game (not including passing touchdowns)?16. Will Gisele Bundchen be shown more than once during the broadcast?17. Will the longest score of the game be a touchdown or a field goal?18. Will both teams score at least one point in every quarter?19. Will Brady register more pass completions in Super Bowl LV than the New York Knicks do points in the first quarter of their game Sunday?20. Will the length of the last field goal be over or under 39.5 yards?21. Will there be a score in the final two minutes of the game?22. Which team will win Super Bowl LV?23. What will be higher: Clyde Edwards-Helaire's total rushing yards or the age of the winning quarterback?24. Will the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coach be orange?25. Will a non-quarterback win MVP?Tiebreaker: Total points scored in Super Bowl LV?Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Only on Super Bowl Sunday does conversation among friends shift from who you bet, to what you bet. After all, there are hundreds of betting options for the big game - the national anthem, the color of the Gatorade, cross-sport props, and anything else under the sun.All of a sudden, the Chiefs-Buccaneers tilt plays second fiddle to the array of money-making opportunities surrounding it. One of the most popular every single year? The coin toss.Sportsbooks, pubs, and living rooms around the nation will be tuning in for the most electric few seconds Sunday has to offer. Statistically, here's how the coin toss has stacked up over the years.As the saying goes, tails never fails. It's shown up 29 times (53%) across 54 Super Bowls, compared to 25 for heads (47%).Tails has won four of the last six years, but it's heads that owns the longest winning streak (five). Speaking of streaks, one side of the coin has won at least four straight three times since 2000.YearResult2020Tails2019Heads2018Heads2017Tails2016Tails2015Tails2014Tails2013Heads2012Heads2011Heads2010Heads2009Heads2008Tails2007Heads2006Tails2005Tails2004Tails2003Tails2002Heads2001Tails2000TailsBetting on the coin toss is the pinnacle of 50-50 propositioning, yet bettors don't mind paying a little extra juice just to ride the high. In fact, the coin flip has become a hot commodity a week prior to the game - that includes a four-figure bet on heads, and so much apparent support for tails that it became the favorite at one point.So, the question is obvious: how can we find an edge on a 50-50 proposition like a coin flip? Well, we can't. But we also don't have inside info on the national anthem or the Gatorade color, and you know all too well that both deserve a small wager, just because.The coin toss encapsulates what Super Bowl betting has become. For the casual bettor, it's about the pageantry of it all moreso than the game itself. The flip of a coin is such an arbitrary thing to bet on, but that's what Super Bowl betting has become. People are captivated by the sheer creativity of the endless props made available, and the coin toss was ground zero.In living rooms across the world on Sunday, people are going to be sweating the color of Patrick Mahomes' headband, whether The Weeknd will be wearing sunglasses during his halftime performance, or if Tony Romo is going to talk about his kids during the broadcast. And it all started with the coin toss.Sunday's the final episode of the 2020 season, and the last chance to bet on a single-game NFL event until the curtain draws again next fall. We made it to the finish line, fellow bettors.Bet on the coin toss - you deserve it.Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derek Carr might be a hot commodity in the offseason.The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to field trade calls from multiple teams for the quarterback, reports Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.A potential trade involving the veteran signal-caller could open the door for the Raiders to pursue Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, Bonsignore notes.The increasing interest in Carr reportedly could also create a scenario where Watson lands in Las Vegas via a three-team trade.Watson, who led the NFL in passing yards in 2020, reportedly has requested a trade from Houston. The three-time Pro Bowler is apparently frustrated with the Texans after being left out of the team's search for a new general manager in January.Carr, 29, posted an 8-8 record last season while throwing for 4,103 yards and 27 touchdowns against nine interceptions. The three-time Pro Bowler has put up a passer rating north of 100 in each of the last two seasons - including a career-high 101.4 in 2020 - but hasn't posted a winning record as a starter since 2016.Carr is set to become a free agent after the 2022 campaign.The Raiders' depth chart at quarterback also features veteran Marcus Mariota, who signed a two-year deal with Las Vegas last March.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals' 2020 season began with much promise, and it ended in disappointment.The Cardinals notched a thrilling prime-time win over the Seattle Seahawks to improve to 5-2 in October, then moved to 6-3 thanks to the "Hail Murray" against the Buffalo Bills.However, Arizona lost five of its last seven games before missing the playoffs."It was like, you just didn't know which team you were getting," quarterback Kyler Murray said Monday on "The Pat McAfee Show," according to Cardinals staff writer Darren Urban."That comes to us being inconsistent," he added. "For me, it starts with the little things, and I have said it before, organizations that win, they do everything right. They do everything the right way. Attention to detail, the small things."A shoulder injury in the second half of the season slowed Murray, and he entered a pivotal Week 17 win-and-you're-in game with a leg issue. But he's not making any excuses for how his second pro campaign ended."We started off pretty hot and we took a kind of a disappointing turn, ended up not making the playoffs, which was very disappointing," he said. "I expect it to be a lot better in Year 3."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leonard Fournette has seen the highs and lows of the NFL over the past five months.The Jacksonville Jaguars cut the former No. 4 pick on Aug. 31. At the time, Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone said the team "couldn't get anything" for him in trade talks.Now, Fournette is days away from appearing in the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.The running back said being released by the team that drafted him in 2017 was tough to stomach at first."It was a terrible feeling. I took a week off. I had to get my mind right and try to understand why it was going on," Fournette said Tuesday, according to John Reid of the Florida Times-Union.Fournette battled with management during his three-year tenure in Jacksonville, but he was also coming off a 2019 season in which he compiled 1,674 total yards. He said he didn't get an explanation for his release."It was a tough time for me. Going into work and someone was at the gate saying the coach wanted to see me. They just cut me. There was no explaining it, why, it just happened," he said.Fournette signed with the Buccaneers but wasn't given a starting role. He was Ronald Jones' backup but thrived as Jones battled injuries late in the year. Fournette scored touchdowns in five of the Bucs' last six games, including all three of their playoff contests."I've always had my groove, I just didn't play a lot," Fournette said. "I would just say that it's timing. God's timing, you can't rush it. What's for you is for you at the end of the day. No man on earth can take that from you."Just for me to be in this position I'm in now, I'm just grateful. Coming from being cut and now playing in the Super Bowl with my new team and my new organization, it feels great."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Atlanta Falcons have not discussed trading Matt Ryan or Julio Jones and both players are expected to stay with the team this year, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The Falcons are eager to see how the star quarterback and wide receiver pair with new head coach Arthur Smith, Pelissero adds. Smith is expected to implement a similar offense to the one Ryan operated during his 2016 MVP season.Both players also carry contracts that would be difficult to move this offseason. Cutting or trading Ryan would result in a $49.9-million dead cap hit, per Spotrac, while Jones would account for a dead-money charge of $38.5 million.Ryan passed for 4,500 yards with 26 touchdowns to 11 interceptions this season while Jones battled injuries throughout the campaign. The 31-year-old receiver appeared in just nine games and failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2013.The Falcons finished 4-12 and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year in 2020. The club is slated to pick fourth in the upcoming NFL draft.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ahead of this week's Super Bowl LV matchup between the Chiefs (-3.5) and Buccaneers, seemingly every trend favors Tom Brady in this spot - from fading defending champions to betting on wild-card teams and clubs seeking revenge to Brady's own success as an underdog.If there's anything scarier than betting against Brady, though, it might be fading Andy Reid off a bye week.Since he became a head coach in 1999, Reid is a phenomenal 27-5 straight up and 21-11 against the spread when he has an extra week to prepare for an opponent, per Sports Database. He's 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS in those spots in the playoffs, including 2-0 ATS in his two Super Bowl appearances.Here's a look at how Reid's teams have performed in those nine postseason games after a week off:SEASONMATCHUPRESULTSUATS2020Chiefs (-8) vs. Browns22-17WL2019Chiefs (-10) vs. Texans51-31WW2019Chiefs (-1.5) vs. 49ers31-20WW2018Chiefs (-5.5) vs. Colts31-13WW2016Chiefs (-2) vs. Steelers16-18LL2004Eagles (+7) vs. Patriots21-24LW2004Eagles (-9.5) vs. Vikings27-14WW2003Eagles (-4.5) vs. Packers20-17WL2002Eagles (-7.5) vs. Falcons20-6WWIn three years with Patrick Mahomes as his starting quarterback, Reid is a perfect 7-0 SU with four ATS wins off a bye week, outscoring opponents by nearly 14 points per game. That includes last year's Super Bowl when the Chiefs erased a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to beat the 49ers by 11 points.While Reid is hailed as an offensive visionary, his success when given extra prep time has been fueled by defense. In those 34 games off a bye, Reid's teams have held opponents to 16.1 points per contest - a full 4.4 points lower than in all other games. That's helped spur a 24-7-1 record to the under in those spots, including 8-1 in the postseason and 2-0 in the Super Bowl.Perhaps the most incredible feat is how his teams perform in this spot when favored by at least three points, posting an absurd 19-1 record with a 12-8 ATS mark. That should be of particular interest to moneyline bettors - when Reid gets extra time for a game his team should win, he almost never loses.Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians is 6-2 SU coming off a bye week but just 3-4-1 ATS in that spot, including 0-1 ATS in his lone playoff appearance off rest. He'll have his work cut out for him against Reid, whom bettors can trust to take advantage of the Super Bowl bye week.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years.Follow the links below to see his updated 2021 rankings.Half PPR

The Super Bowl between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs will feature arguably the NFL's two biggest icons, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.While this isn't the first matchup between all-time great signal-callers in the Super Bowl, Sunday's clash could be one for the ages.Where does the Brady vs. Mahomes matchup rank among the greatest quarterback battles in Super Bowl history? Here's our top 10 based on each QB's career accomplishments at the date of the season finale.10. Aaron Rodgers vs. Ben Roethlisberger, Super Bowl XLV Rob Tringali / SportsChrome / GettyPackers def. Steelers 31-25Early in his career, Rodgers needed a Super Bowl ring to prove he'd be able to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Packers legend Brett Favre. But to do that, he had to beat Roethlisberger.Although Big Ben didn't have a great regular season in 2010 - tossing 17 touchdowns to five interceptions after being suspended for the first four games - he already had two Super Bowl titles on his resume. Meanwhile, Rodgers was still a year short of the best statistical campaign of his career but averaged 4,200 yards and 29 touchdowns with a passer rating of 99.4 through his first three campaigns as the Packers' starter (2008-10).9. Tom Brady vs. Matt Ryan, Super Bowl LIPatriots def. Falcons 34-28Looking for his fifth ring, Brady threw 28 touchdowns against two interceptions during the regular season after being suspended for the first four games of the 2016 campaign. The Patriots had the league's top-ranked defense and finished the season with the NFL's best record at 14-2.On the other side, the Falcons possessed an explosive offense that scored over 33 points per game. That unit was led by Ryan, who took home the regular-season MVP after throwing for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns with a passer rating of 117.1. At the time, he was just the second MVP quarterback to face Brady in the Super Bowl.8. Eli Manning vs. Tom Brady, Super Bowl XLVI Rob Tringali / SportsChrome / GettyGiants def. Patriots 21-17Manning isn't on the same tier as most of the quarterbacks on this list but the second Super Bowl matchup between Manning's Giants and Brady's Patriots was something special.It was Brady's revenge attempt after Manning spoiled his perfect 2007 campaign in Super Bowl XLII. This time, though, he faced a version of Manning that was clearly improved. In the four seasons that separated the two Super Bowls, Brady put up excellent campaigns, collecting the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2009 and his second career MVP honor in 2010.During the 2011 regular season leading to Super Bowl XLVI, Brady and Manning set career highs in passing yards - with 5,335 and 4,933, respectively - while combining for 68 touchdowns. In the playoffs, both had a passer rating north of 100.7. Troy Aikman vs. Jim Kelly, Super Bowl XXVIIICowboys def. Bills 30-13Aikman and Kelly remain the only duo of starting quarterbacks to face off in back-to-back Super Bowls. Granted, neither posted monster numbers during the 1993 regular season - 33 touchdowns combined - but the matchup between two future Hall of Famers was significant.In Super Bowl XXVIII, Kelly led the Bills to their fourth straight title game appearance, all of which were losses, including a 52-17 defeat to the Aikman-led Cowboys in the previous year. The Bills' signal-caller already had five Pro Bowl appearances and three All-Pro nods to his name.Meanwhile, Aikman was a five-year veteran at the time who entered the season finale as the reigning Super Bowl MVP and with three consecutive Pro Bowl selections.6. Terry Bradshaw vs. Roger Staubach, Super Bowl XIII James Drake / Sports Illustrated / GettySteelers def. Cowboys 35-31In the 1970s, the quarterback position wasn't as significant as it is today, especially for a team with an excellent defense like the Steelers. But Bradshaw - who had already won two titles before Super Bowl XIII - recorded his best year in Pittsburgh in 1978, earning the MVP award after tossing a league-leading 28 touchdowns.One of Bradshaw's titles came against the Staubach-led Cowboys, three years before they met again in the season finale. Staubach was also a two-time Super Bowl winner by 1978 and had been selected to the Pro Bowl on five occasions.Granted, both Bradshaw and Staubach were surrounded by great supporting casts at the time, which was a crucial factor to their career accolades. Still, Super Bowl XIII featured the two powerhouses of that decade with Hall of Fame signal-callers still playing at a competitive level.5. John Elway vs. Brett Favre, Super Bowl XXXIIBroncos def. Packers 31-24Favre was the NFL's hottest quarterback in 1997. The signal-caller won his third straight MVP award that year and was making his second consecutive Super Bowl appearance after leading Green Bay to the title in the 1996 season.Meanwhile, though Elway never reached Favre's level of production, he had already earned eight Pro Bowl berths and led Denver to a fourth Super Bowl appearance.It was a matchup between a 37-year-old veteran desperately looking for his first title to cement a Hall of Fame career against football's top superstar.4. Joe Montana vs. John Elway, Super Bowl XXIV Andy Hayt / Sports Illustrated / Getty49ers def. Broncos 55-10Super Bowl XXIV didn't quite match expectations, but the narrative surrounding Montana and Elway heading into the game was captivating.Montana already had three Super Bowl titles entering the 1989 season and was named regular-season MVP that year after leading the league in pass completions, yards per game, and passer rating. It was his fourth Super Bowl with the 49ers, which to many people, was already enough to call him the GOAT back then.Meanwhile, Elway was a three-time Pro Bowler looking for his first ring after consecutive Super Bowl losses in 1986 and 1987.3. Drew Brees vs. Peyton Manning, Super Bowl XLIVSaints def. Colts 31-17Manning and Brees already had great careers by 2009, with the latter likely being one Super Bowl title away from joining Manning as a Hall of Fame lock. During that season, Brees led the NFL in touchdown passes (34) and completion percentage (70.6), while Manning won his second straight MVP award after throwing for 33 TDs.The Manning-led Colts and Brees' Saints also torched their opponents during the regular season. They didn't lose their first game until December and placed first in their respective conferences, marking the first time in 16 years that both No. 1 seeds reached the Super Bowl.2. Joe Montana vs. Dan Marino, Super Bowl XIX Focus On Sport / Getty Images Sport / Getty49ers def. Dolphins 38-16Super Bowl XIX featured the quarterback matchup that many believed would highlight the big game for years.Montana had already won the 1981 Super Bowl - of which he was named MVP - and entered his second title game after recording the best statistical campaign of his career at the time. He had also made the Pro Bowl on three occasions.Marino shocked the football world in 1984, posting arguably the greatest regular season ever by a quarterback statistically in his second pro year. The signal-caller broke multiple single-season records, including passing yards (5,084) and touchdowns (48).Unfortunately, Montana and Marino never met in a Super Bowl again. However, having the two best quarterbacks at the time playing in different conferences - and meeting on football's biggest stage - gave that matchup a unique narrative.1. Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady, Super Bowl LV Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyBrady vs. Mahomes is the greatest quarterback matchup in Super Bowl history. No other NFL quarterback has accomplished more than Brady, and we haven't seen anything like the beginning of Mahomes' career.The undisputed GOAT will play against the only known player with a chance to usurp his throne. It will be like having Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James in the NBA Finals.The careers of Brady and Mahomes are unprecedented. Brady owns six Super Bowl titles, three regular-season MVP awards, and 14 Pro Bowl selections, while Mahomes has already been named MVP and Super Bowl MVP in just three seasons as a starter. The young signal-caller is 26-1 in his last 27 starts, including the playoffs.Both quarterbacks are also coming off impressive campaigns in 2020. At the age of 43, Brady threw for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns while helping the Buccaneers reach Super Bowl LV in his first year with the team. Additionally, Mahomes topped the league averaging 316 passing yards per game while tossing 38 touchdowns.Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians wasn't wrong when he said Mahomes could match Brady's career success. A win on Sunday to clinch back-to-back titles would add major significance to Mahomes' resume. On the other hand, Brady might be able to prove that even Mahomes won't catch him as the GOAT if he collects his seventh ring.Honorable mention: Bart Starr vs. Len Dawson (Super Bowl I), Ken Stabler vs. Fran Tarkenton (Super Bowl XI), Joe Montana vs. Boomer Esiason (Super Bowl XXIII).Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Super Bowl LV attendance numbers are official.There will be 25,000 fans and 30,000 cutouts at Raymond James Stadium for Sunday's game, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The league announced last month that 7,500 vaccinated health care workers will be invited as guests, meaning the remaining 17,500 will be paid attendees for the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Those who attend will be required to follow mask-wearing protocols and sit in socially distanced pods. The health care workers must have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers, typically seats 66,000.Tampa Bay ranked third in attendance during the regular season, averaging 14,483 fans per game at just over 22% capacity as the NFL played through a global pandemic.The Super Bowl capacity will surpass every team's average attendance except for the Dallas Cowboys, who had over 28,000 fans attend home games in 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo received a vote of confidence from teammate George Kittle on Tuesday.Just one season after embarking in a run that culminated in a Super Bowl appearance, the 49ers limped to a 6-10 showing in 2020. Garoppolo's play and durability caused some to question his long-term future, but Kittle ultimately shut down those concerns."I still believe in Jimmy G. I think we can win a Super Bowl with him. I think he's a fantastic quarterback," Kittle said, according to Fox Sports' Peter Schrager.Kittle's backing of his quarterback reflects similar comments made by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. The sideline boss told reporters toward the end of the season he expects Garoppolo to be the starter in 2021.The 49ers were also one of many teams that inquired about former Detroit Lions passer Matthew Stafford, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. San Francisco touched base with the Lions but never made an official offer due to their comfortability moving forward with Garoppolo.Garoppolo only suited up for six games during the 2020 campaign due to a lingering ankle issue. He failed to replicate his previous form when he did play, as his yards per game (182.7), passer rating (92.4), and yards per attempt (7.8) declined from 2019.The 29-year-old will count for a $26.4-million cap hit this year but can be moved for a modest cost of $2.8 million in dead money, per Spotrac.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The best part about the Super Bowl is the wide array of things you can bet, whether it's for before, during, or after the actual game. One of the most popular over the years is the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning head coach.Is there an exact science to finding an edge in this market on an annual basis? Maybe. Or, you could try to hold off until a player blatantly reveals the team's color of choice.While we wait for that to happen, let's dive into the odds, notes, and best bet.Gatorade color oddsColorOddsOrange+140Red/Pink+300Yellow/Green+500Clear/Gray/White+650Blue+800Purple+800Trends

Travis Kelce doesn't want to even think about what the Kansas City Chiefs are attempting to do: win back-to-back Super Bowls."I don't want to think about what it would feel like before it happens," the All-Pro tight end said on Super Bowl media day Monday, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. "Because if it doesn't happen, man, it's gonna be one of the most sickening things that I've gone through."To make it to the big show - I've been watching NFL Films' recaps of previous Super Bowls and the stories that happened throughout those years for both of the teams and they were just kinda on replay yesterday - just going one after another after another. To see the guys that didn't make it, that didn't find a way to win - I hope that I never have that feeling ever come to life."Kelce helped the Chiefs take down the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl LIV last season. Kansas City is now looking to become the first team to repeat since the New England Patriots in 2003-2004.But for the Chiefs' star tight end, the agony of defeat weighs more heavily on him than a potential victory."We put so much effort and so much thought and so much dream and vision and everything that gives into this week and last week - the two weeks going into the Super Bowl - that if it doesn't pan out for us, man, I don't even want to think about what that feeling would feel like," he said.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nine-year NFL veteran Mike Remmers will play left tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, but his name doesn't mean much to Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul."I didn't even know who that was," Pierre-Paul told reporters Monday, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. "Man, I'm not going to lie to you. Is this a tackle that you're talking about? Like I said, I don't care too much about it. They got to figure that out. I'm going to play some great football this weekend."Remmers started at right tackle for the Chiefs with Mitchell Schwartz sidelined by a back injury down the stretch. The 31-year-old will slide over to the left side for the Super Bowl after Eric Fisher suffered an Achilles injury in the AFC title game.The Chiefs are also expected to deploy right guard Andrew Wylie at right tackle and insert Stefen Wisniewski at right guard. Pierre-Paul showed little compassion for the defending champions while they deal with their injury bug."I don't care, it don't matter. This is the freaking Super Bowl," he said. "I don't care if they have three offensive linemen, they send two to block me, three to block me. I'm going to do what I need to do. Us boys going to do what we need to do. That's a you problem. They gotta figure that out. I'm coming to play a football game. Not just any football game, but Super Bowl LV."I ain't got time to play games. The only game I'm playing is football. … I don't care about their offensive linemen. I don't care."Pierre-Paul had 9.5 sacks in the regular season to earn his first Pro Bowl selection since 2012, and he has two through the Buccaneers' three playoff contests.The 32-year-old is set to play in his second career Super Bowl. He posted two tackles, a quarterback hit, and two pass breakups in Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, helping the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Among the many storylines in a compelling Super Bowl LV matchup between the Chiefs (-3.5) and Buccaneers is the battle between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, who comprise arguably the greatest quarterback matchup in the history of the Big Game.Which one will have a bigger day on Sunday? Here are five of our favorite matchup props from theScore Bet and where we lean on each of them.More gross passing yardsQuarterbackOddsMahomes -33.5-110Brady +33.5-110Mahomes (316) and Brady (289.6) finished first and third in regular-season passing yards per game, respectively, and while Brady is the current playoff leader in passing yards (860), Mahomes has thrown for 3.3 more yards per contest this postseason.Should there be such a large gap between these two passers? When they met in Week 12, Mahomes threw for a season-high 462 yards to Brady's more modest 345-yard output. Since then, Brady has averaged almost 10 yards per game more than Mahomes, who also faces a tougher matchup against Tampa Bay's fifth-ranked pass defense, per DVOA.The "gross yards" aspect of this prop also favors Brady, who benefits from a healthier offensive line and faces a much weaker pass rush. With a 33.5-yard cushion, the GOAT should have the edge in this one.Pick: Brady +33.5 (-110)More touchdown passesQuarterbackOddsMahomes -0.5+120Brady +0.5-140This is another stat in which these two quarterbacks were near the top of the leaderboard and nearly identical to each other. Brady threw 40 touchdowns in the regular season with seven more in the playoffs, while Mahomes tossed 38 in 15 games with four through two postseason contests.Still, it's hard not to side with Brady in this one. The Buccaneers quarterback has thrown multiple scores in each of his last 10 games and faces a Chiefs secondary that has allowed at least two passing touchdowns in eight of its last 10 games.Compare that to Mahomes, who has 12 touchdowns in his last six games and has to contend with a tougher Tampa Bay pass defense. Even at a shorter price, Brady catching a half-touchdown makes this an easy play.Pick: Brady +0.5 (-140)First passing touchdownQuarterbackOddsPatrick Mahomes-125Tom Brady+105If we like Brady to throw for more touchdowns, surely we like him to throw the first one, right? Yes, but not for that reason alone. Brady has struck early and often this year, throwing 11 first-quarter touchdowns - including five within the first five minutes of the game - and 17 in the second quarter.Conversely, Mahomes has seven in the first quarter and 15 in the second, and he's thrown just one score within the first eight minutes of a game this season. This could also come down to something as random as which team gets the opening kickoff, which makes us like the plus-money side even more.Pick: Brady (+105)First interceptionQuarterbackOddsPatrick Mahomes+115Tom Brady-135Here's where the outlook doesn't look so rosy for Brady. The 43-year-old threw 12 interceptions in the regular season, tied for his most since 2009 and two short of his career high. He's kept his powder dry over the back half of the year, but a three-interception day in the NFC title game served as a reminder of just how turnover-prone he can be.Outside of his own trio of picks against the Dolphins in Week 14, Mahomes threw just three interceptions in his other 16 games and has been turnover-free in the playoffs. Kansas City's defense also had more interceptions in the regular season than Tampa Bay's, which makes an already attractive case to bet Brady even more appealing.Pick: Brady (-135)Longest completionQuarterbackOddsPatrick Mahomes -3.5-120Tom Brady +3.5EvenAt a glance, this is the easiest bet on the board. It's a bit closer when you dive into the numbers, but Mahomes is clearly the play on a prop seemingly built for him.Surprisingly, Brady had more 40-plus yard completions (12) in the regular season than Mahomes (8), and his 52-yard bomb to Chris Godwin a week ago was a reminder of what he can do when he has the time. Still, it's no comparison to Mahomes, who has 16 passes of 50 yards or more over the last three seasons.He doesn't even have to do all the work. In the AFC Championship Game, Mahomes fired a short pass over the middle to Tyreek Hill, who turned it into a 71-yard gain. Those two connected for a 44-yard strike in last year's Super Bowl and could be due for another in this one.Pick: Mahomes -3.5 (-120)C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady has long made it known that playing until age 45 has been his ultimate goal. That could change in light of his success with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers."I would definitely consider that," Brady said Monday when asked if he would play longer, according to Mark Maske of The Washington Post. "You never know kind of when that moment is ... it has to be 100% commitment from myself to keep doing it."Brady, currently 43, is set to play for a chance at extending his NFL-record six championships in his 10th Super Bowl appearance Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.After a relatively poor final season with the New England Patriots, the future Hall of Famer rebounded by throwing for the second-most touchdowns (40) of his storied career.No quarterback has ever hit the 40-touchdown mark beyond the age of 40. Brady also has 17,622 passing yards since turning 40, the most in league history.Brady is contracted for one more season with the Bucs, and is all but certain to fulfill that deal given the NFC South club's success in 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to terms with Brian Schottenheimer to make him their new passing game coordinator, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.Schottenheimer previously served as offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks over the past three seasons.The Seahawks' offense ranked 18th in the league in 2018, eighth in 2019, and 17th in 2020. Seattle parted ways with Schottenheimer after the season due to "philosophical differences."The Jaguars ranked 28th in offense in 2020 and 30th in points scored.Schottenheimer will reunite with Darrell Bevell, who was reportedly added as the new offensive coordinator in Jacksonville after serving in that role with the Detroit Lions for the past two seasons. Bevell was the offensive coordinator in Seattle from 2011 to 2017 before Schottenheimer replaced him.The Jaguars have made sweeping changes to their coaching staff this offseason, beginning with hiring Urban Meyer, who won three championships at the college level.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The end of the first quarter was ticking away, and the Chiefs needed an answer. They'd fallen behind early to the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, but then Kansas City advanced to the goal line on the 14th play of a drive. Patrick Mahomes made his move on the 15th play, faking a pitch outside before plunging into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown.It was the first of three goal-line scores in the game - highlighting what's slowly become one of the more profitable props on Super Bowl Sunday.Last year's contest marked the fourth time over the last five years that the shortest touchdown in the Super Bowl has been under 1.5 yards. The only outlier was in 2019, when the Patriots and Rams combined for just one touchdown. The distance of that score? Two yards.Short touchdowns have become vogue in the Super Bowl, and the market hasn't caught up. A year ago, the odds for the shortest touchdown being under 1.5 yards hovered around -160. Ahead of Super Bowl LV between the Chiefs (-3.5) and Buccaneers, the under can be found as cheap as -155, which suggests a hit rate of roughly 60%.That pales in comparison to what you'd expect based on recent data. Check out this list of the shortest touchdown in every Super Bowl since 1990:SUPER BOWL (YEAR)TD LENGTHPLAYERPLAY TYPELIV (2020)1Multiple (x3)BothLIII (2019)2Sony MichelRushingLII (2018)1Nick FolesReceivingLI (2017)1James WhiteRushing50 (2016)1Jonathan StewartRushingXLIX (2015)3Multiple (x3)BothXLVIII (2014)1Marshawn LynchRushingXLVII (2013)1Dennis PittaReceivingXLVI (2012)2Victor CruzReceivingXLV (2011)8Multiple (x3)BothXLIV (2010)2Jeremy ShockeyReceivingXLIII (2009)1Multiple (x3)BothXLII (2008)1Laurence MaroneyRushingXLI (2007)1Dominic RhodesRushingXL (2006)1Ben RoethlisbergerRushingXXXIX (2005)2Multiple (x2)BothXXXVIII (2004)1Mike VrabelReceivingXXXVII (2003)2Mike AlstottRushingXXXVI (2002)2Kurt WarnerRushingXXXV (2001)3Jamal LewisRushingXXXIV (2000)1Eddie GeorgeRushingXXXIII (1999)1Howard Griffith (x2)RushingXXXII (1998)1Multiple (x4)RushingXXXI (1997)1Keith ByarsReceivingXXX (1996)1Multiple (x2)RushingXXIX (1995)1Natrone MeansRushingXXVIII (1994)1Emmitt SmithRushingXXVII (1993)2Multiple (x2)BothXXVI (1992)1Multiple (x2)RushingXXV (1991)1Multiple (x2)RushingXXIV (1990)1Multiple (x2)RushingSee all the ones littering the chart? The shortest touchdown has been under 1.5 yards in 21 of the 31 Super Bowls listed above, including 10 of the previous 15 and four of the last five. Those marks suggest a line closer to -200 or -210, leaving plenty of value for under bettors.It's not just a case of recency bias, either. The shortest touchdown has been under 1.5 yards in 33 of 54 Super Bowls (61.1%), with a total of 50 such touchdowns over that span and 34 in the last 31 years. We saw three in last year's contest alone, with two coming from a pass-happy Chiefs team.That reflects a common misconception with this prop, as a stout rushing attack often isn't needed to make under bettors successful. Of the last 11 Super Bowl goal-line touchdowns, five have come through the air, and quarterbacks have run in their fair share, too.This season, the Chiefs and Buccaneers have combined for 18 touchdowns of less than 1.5 yards, and the two clubs have recorded or allowed at least one such score in nine of 14 combined games since facing off in Week 12. Kansas City has notched five over its last five games, while Tampa Bay is particularly dangerous near the goal line - especially with the threat of Brady scoring on the ground, just as Mahomes did a year ago. The 43-year-old recorded just 6 regular-season rushing yards, but he still scored three times.So consider the length of the shortest touchdown when filling out your prop bets this week. If recent trends hold true, less could be more on Sunday.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs placed receiver Demarcus Robinson and backup center Daniel Kilgore on the COVID-19 list, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.Both players are deemed close contacts and should be available to play in Super Bowl LV on Sunday should they continue to test negative, adds NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed the roster moves Monday during his media availability."We found it out yesterday. That's about as far as I can go with it. They'll work through it," Reid said, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post.Both Robinson and Kilgore are listed as backups but are an important part of the Chiefs' depth.Robinson started nine games and recorded 45 receptions for 466 yards and three touchdowns.Kilgore backs up starter Austin Reiter. He appeared in seven games this season, starting four.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Danny Amendola suggested Monday that Tom Brady had more to do with the New England Patriots' success than the team's coaches.The Detroit Lions wide receiver, who played alongside Brady in New England, took a jab at his former team during an appearance on FS1's "First Things First.""When you see 'Patriot Way' in the dictionary, it's gonna have Tom Brady's name next to it," Amendola said. "None of those coaches threw any passes, none of those coaches caught any passes, none of those coaches made any tackles. They got guys in the right position 'cause they watch a lot of film and they spend all their time at the facility, but Tom Brady is the 'Patriot Way' and that's the reason why Tom Brady's in the Super Bowl right now and the Patriots aren't."Amendola spent five seasons with the Patriots before leaving the team in 2017 to join the Miami Dolphins. He noted after his departure that Bill Belichick wasn't easy to play for and could be "an a--h--- sometimes," but he respected the head coach.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was critical of his first full season in the NFL."I would describe my rookie season as below average," said Tagovailoa, according to Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. "This past season wasn't up to my expectation that I have for myself. But there were a lot of things that I was able to learn from."In his first pro campaign, Tagovailoa racked up 1,814 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions with a 64 completion percentage.Miami selected Tagovailoa with the fifth overall selection in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Hawaiian was considered a steal based on his collegiate accomplishments. The Alabama alum won a national title as a freshman and almost secured a second as a sophomore.Tagovailoa was named the starter after Week 5 last season. The Dolphins went 6-3 in games that he started. During the final stretch of the campaign, Tua was benched in favor of veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, including the team's Week 16 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders."Coach did what he thought was best for the team and it was what was best for the team," said Tagovailoa. "If I didn't have the relationship I have with my coaches and Fitz it would have been a little bit different."Meanwhile, Miami has been discussed as possible trade destination for disgruntled Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Despite his name being mentioned in reports, Tagovailoa is focused on improving for the 2021 season."I have to control what I can control. Work hard. And do well next season."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers continue to make sure the rest of the football world knows Aaron Rodgers isn't going anywhere anytime soon.Head coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that the star quarterback will "absolutely be here for a long time," according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky."Is that a trick question? Absolutely," LaFleur added, the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Ryan Woods reports. "There's no doubt about it. You're talking about the guy who's going to win the MVP of the league. We're not in this position without him."Rodgers raised eyebrows when he suggested his future was uncertain following Green Bay's NFC title-game loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He later walked back his comments, saying he doesn't think there's any reason he won't return.The Packers have pushed back against the prospect that Rodgers could play elsewhere in 2021."We're not idiots. Aaron Rodgers will be back, he's our leader," CEO Mark Murphy said last week.Meanwhile, Green Bay reportedly rejected the Los Angeles Rams' approach for Rodgers, with the NFC North team adamant about keeping the 37-year-old. L.A. ultimately acquired Matthew Stafford in a blockbuster trade that sent Jared Goff and two first-round picks to the Detroit Lions.On Monday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst firmly shut the door on Rodgers being traded."Absolutely not," Gutekunst said when asked if he sees any scenarios in which he'd be willing to move the veteran."He's going to be a part of our future, and we look forward to all the runs we're going to be able to make here over the next few years," he added.Rodgers' long-term place in Green Bay came into question when the team traded up in the first round of last year's draft to select quarterback Jordan Love.The future Hall of Famer responded with one of his finest seasons to date, throwing 48 touchdowns against five interceptions to likely secure his third career MVP award.Though the Packers seemingly have no intention of parting ways with Rodgers, they may have to prove their commitment.The quarterback, who's the fifth-highest-paid player at his position and contracted through 2023, is reportedly looking for an extension.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In 2002, the Patriots were among the biggest underdogs in Super Bowl history. Tom Brady, in his first year as a starter, had to win as a road underdog in the conference title game just to reach the big stage. His reward was a date with the juggernaut Rams (-14), who had already hoisted a Lombardi trophy two years earlier.Brady wasn't fazed. He engineered a game-winning drive to capture the first of his six Super Bowl wins in nine appearances, sparking a legacy of stellar play as an underdog in the process. Nineteen years later, in his first season with the Buccaneers, he'll face a similar challenge in Super Bowl LV against the high-powered Chiefs (-3.5) - the first team to be favored against Brady in the Super Bowl following that iconic 2002 upset.Since he took over as a starter in 2001, Brady is 38-17-1 against the spread as an underdog with 33 straight up wins in 56 tries. He's 6-3 ATS/SU in the playoffs, including 3-0 ATS over the last three seasons and 4-1 ATS this campaign when catching points.But Brady's never been in a spot like this in his 20 years as a starter. With Tampa Bay being the first team to ever play in the Super Bowl in its home stadium, this will unofficially be Brady's first playoff game as a home underdog. However, he's 11-1 ATS in that spot in the regular season, outscoring opponents by 10 points per game with nine outright wins.Here are some notable performances by Brady as an underdog ahead of Super Bowl LV:Patriots (+5) at Broncos, AFC Championship Game (Jan. 19, 2014)Before this season, the last time Brady caught at least 3.5 points in a playoff game was 2014, when the Patriots were sizable 'dogs against Peyton Manning and the Broncos' all-time great offense.New England lost by 10 points in that contest, but Brady wasn't to blame. The 36-year-old quarterback finished 24 of 38 for 277 yards and was responsible for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a failed comeback bid. However, Manning outdueled him, torching the Patriots' defense for 400 yards en route to the AFC title.Patriots (+3) at Chiefs, AFC Championship Game (Jan. 20, 2019)While Brady has been an underdog in the Super Bowl before, this game feels like the closest comparison to what he'll face in 10 days.Once again, New England squared off against a record-setting offense in the Chiefs, led by 2018 MVP Patrick Mahomes in his first major playoff spot. The young star delivered with three touchdowns, though Brady bested him with a go-ahead scoring drive in the final seconds of regulation and another in overtime to win a 37-31 thriller.Buccaneers (+3.5) vs. Chiefs, Week 12 (Nov. 29, 2020)The last time Brady was an underdog at home was also one of his just three outright losses in that spot in 12 tries. The Buccaneers surrendered 17 points to the Chiefs in the first quarter but still covered behind a valiant effort from Brady, who threw for 345 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 27-24 loss.That defeat could set the stage for a redemptive effort in Super Bowl LV. Five of the last seven clubs to lose to a team in the regular season and face that squad in the Super Bowl won the rematch. Teams that lose the first meeting by three points or less are 5-1 in the Super Bowl encore.Buccaneers (+2.5) at Saints, divisional round (Jan. 17, 2021)Even a pair of double-digit regular-season losses couldn't deter the Bucs in the third meeting with their division rival. Brady threw two scores in an otherwise quiet outing, while Tampa Bay's defense flustered Drew Brees in one of the worst games of his illustrious career.The win snapped Brady's five-game playoff losing streak against teams that beat him in the regular season. It also marked his 17th double-digit victory as an underdog, which is as many contests as he's lost ATS in that spot.Buccaneers (+3.5) at Packers, NFC Championship Game (Jan. 24, 2021)Last week's 31-26 win over the Packers typified Brady's success throughout his career when the odds are against him. The Hall of Fame quarterback was electric early in the game and, despite throwing three interceptions, still extended his record to 16-9 ATS when catching more than three points.The win also sets up another historic - and ironic - underdog feat for Brady. Since 2002, only six teams have been underdogs in the Super Bowl coming off back-to-back playoff wins as 'dogs. Those clubs went 6-0 ATS in the title game, with half of those victories coming against Brady. Will he flip the script in his second stint as a Super Bowl underdog?C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.