Super Bowl LV Predictions: Chiefs or Bucs? Sky Sports NFL pundits make their picks
Written by News on 07/02/2021
Super Bowl LV sees the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, on Sunday night. But who wins?
Bucs quarterback, 43-year-old Tom Brady, is eyeing up an unprecedented seventh Super Bowl win, while the defending-champion Chiefs are looking to become the first team to claim back-to-back titles in 16 years.
On the latest Inside The Huddle podcast – which you can listen to in the player above – Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold were joined by Super Bowl winners Dallas Clark and Cliff Avril to make their Super Bowl predictions; read on below to see who they, and more of Sky Sports’ esteemed NFL experts for the 2020 season, have picked…
Neil Reynolds, Sky Sports NFL presenter
Super Bowl pick: CHIEFS
“I think this Super Bowl has all the makings of being a classic!
“I think Brady and the Bucs keep it close, but I’m backing (Patrick) Mahomes and the Chiefs to score enough points to win it 31-24 and repeat as Super Bowl champs.”
Jeff Reinebold, Sky Sports NFL expert
Super Bowl pick: CHIEFS
“The better team is the Chiefs. They’re a more balanced team, with better weapons on the outside – with better match-ups – and they’ve got the better quarterback.
“Brady is the GOAT, but Mahomes is younger, faster, more mobile, has a bigger arm and he can make plays when there are no plays to be made.
“Give me Mahomes and Kansas City.”
Dallas Clark, former Indianapolis Colts tight end
Super Bowl pick: BUCCANEERS
“I have Tampa Bay winning this game.
“The main reason is, the Green Bay Packers were hot heading into the NFC Championship, and those Buccaneers went up to Lambeau – a very tough place to play – and shut them down.
“Also, I think beating a team twice in a year is really hard to do, and I think the Chiefs are going to struggle to pull that off.
“They’ve got their weapons, Mahomes is going to make his plays, but I just don’t think it’s going to be their day – I’ve got a 38-34 win for the Bucs.”
Cliff Avril, former Seattle Seahawks defensive end
Super Bowl pick: BUCCANEERS
“I’ve got Tampa Bay. I think the X-factor in this game is the Bucs’ defense, specifically Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh.
“I think that if those two guys apply pressure like they have been doing in the playoffs, in particular last week, up against three Kansas City back-ups on the offensive line, I think they’ll make them pay.”
Hannah Wilkes, NFL Overtime presenter
Super Bowl pick: BUCCANEERS
“I have a Brady feeling. Things just go his way in the playoffs.
“I also love how this Bucs defense is playing. If any unit can cause problems for Mahomes, it’s this one and I think they’ll win Brady the ball back on a couple of occasions.
“We’re never going to see someone do what Brady’s doing again – going for a seventh Super Bowl, with his second team at the age of 43 – and so there is just that part of me that wants to see history made and the fairytale ending.”
Josh Denzel, NFL Overtime presenter
Super Bowl pick: BUCCANEERS
“I think it’s going to be ‘Brady Time’. There’s only so many times that Mahomes can rally the Chiefs back from a deficit.
“They’ve had to make special plays on fourth-and-one, and you can’t keep doing that, especially against a wily old fox like Brady – I think he’s going to get ring number seven.
“I think it’s going to be a sensational Bucs victory!”
Phoebe Schecter, former Buffalo Bills coach
Super Bowl pick: CHIEFS
“I’m going to have to go with the Chiefs on this one. I just think they’re electric, and they’re getting stronger and stronger each week.
“I have to give props to my guy Travis Kelce – he is unreal – and then, to complement him, they’ve got Tyreek Hill and some Mahomes magic thrown in.
“Chiefs, for me.”
Dan Hanzus, Around the NFL podcast
Super Bowl pick: BUCCANEERS
“This Super Bowl is all about Tom Brady. And with good reason.
“This has been a great story, what he has been able to do, at the age of 43, and I think we’re heading for a storybook ending.
“I’m picking Brady to win yet another Super Bowl in his 10th appearance, and take home the MVP in the process – Bucs 34-31 Chiefs. Legendary!”
Gregg Rosenthal, Around the NFL podcast
Super Bowl pick: CHIEFS
“I have the Chiefs winning this one 31-30. That’s the kind of game I want to watch – not a lot of defense.
“I remember in the 2018 AFC Championship game between Brady and Mahomes, Brady had the ball last and won it.
“I think this time round, Mahomes wins his second title with a last-second drive.”
Marc Sessler, Around the NFL podcast
Super Bowl pick: BUCCANEERS
“I’m going for a 39-37 shootout, with the Bucs coming out on top.
“Brady is all in. I’ve stopped asking questions about him; I’ve stopped doubting. He has said he wants to play beyond the age of 45, and I say why not?”
Watch Super Bowl LV on Sky Sports NFL
The game is available on Sky Sports NFL (407), Sky Sports Main Event (401) and also via Sky One (106). You can also watch on the move via Sky Go – online, on iPhone, iPad or selected Android smartphones – or via NOW TV, with the Sky Sports Day Pass.
Neil Reynolds will be leading the coverage, in the studio from London this year, along with Sky Sports‘ resident coach Jeff Reinebold and Super Bowl XX champ with the Chicago Bears, Shaun Gayle, and they’ll be joined remotely by Minnesota Vikings quarterback, and two-time Pro Bowler, Kirk Cousins building up to the game.
Also standing by as part of the coverage, live from Raymond James Stadium itself, will be a pair of Super Bowl winners in Dallas Clark and Cliff Avril, while we’ll hear from Around The NFL podcast heroes Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal and Marc Sessler during the game.
Clark was part of the Indianapolis Colts’ championship squad in the 2006 season, with the tight end catching four passes for 36 yards in their Super Bowl XLI win over the Chicago Bears. Avril was a member of the Seattle Seahawks ‘Legion of Boom’ defense in 2013 as they blew out the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Kick-off in the big game is at 11.30pm, with commentary from CBS’ much-lauded double-act of Jim Nantz and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
Join us on Sky Sports NFL and Main Event from 10pm on Sunday, February 7 for 90 minutes of Super Bowl LV build-up with Kirk Cousins, Dallas Clark and Cliff Avril joining Neil Reynolds and company; Sky One will broadcast the game from 11pm.
(c) Sky Sports 2021: Super Bowl LV Predictions: Chiefs or Bucs? Sky Sports NFL pundits make their picks
