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Super Bowl blog: Bucs dominate Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV

APTOPIX Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
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Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Raymond James logo Super Bowl LV artistic.jpg
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UPDATE, 9:37 p.m. | Hear from Andy Reid and Chiefs players:

UPDATE, 9:13 p.m. | That's it. Devin White picked off Patrick Mahomes in the end zone and the Chiefs failed to score a touchdown in a 31-9 loss to the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

UPDATE, 8:57 p.m. | Another fourth-down heave from Patrick Mahomes falls incomplete and Tampa Bay takes over with around 4 minutes left in Super Bowl LV.

UPDATE, 8:29 p.m. | Running for his life Patrick Mahomes narrowly missed incredible touchdowns on third and fourth downs while being tackled, including a last-gasp heave that hit running back Darrel Williams in the facemask for a turnover on downs.

UPDATE, 8:22 p.m. | The Chiefs trail 31-9 but are driving at the end of three quarter.

UPDATE, 8:14 p.m. | Despite a bad snap pushing back Tampa Bay, Ryan Succop drilled a 52-yard field goal for a 31-9 lead.

UPDATE, 8:05 p.m. | Under continued pressure, Patrick Mahomes tries to force a deep throw to Tyreek Hill, but safety Mike Edwards tipped the ball to Antoine Winfield Jr. for an interception.

The Chiefs' hopes to repeat as Super Bowl champion are dimming considerably.

UPDATE, 7:58 p.m. | Running back Leonard Fournette rumbles 27 yards for a touchdown, pushing the Buccaneers' lead to 28-9 midway through the third quarter.

UPDATE, 7:50 p.m. | Harrison Butker converts from 52 yards out and the Chiefs trim Tampa Bay's lead to 21-9 on the opening drive of the second half.

UPDATE, 7:16 p.m. | Kansas City committed eight penalties for 95 yards and averaged only 4.1 yards per play, while quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished the first half nine for only 67 yards in the first half.

Tampa Bay leads 21-6, but the Chiefs get the ball to start the second half.

UPDATE, 7:13 p.m. | Another penalty-filled drive by the Chiefs' defense, coupled with Andy Reid's decision to use two timeouts early in the Bucs' drive, leads to another Tampa Bay touchdown in the final 1:01.

The Chiefs trail 21-6 with 6 seconds left before halftime.

UPDATE, 7:06 p.m. | Despite a mistake-prone first half, the Chiefs are only down one score late in the first half after Harrison Butker's 34-yard field goal with 1:01 remaining before halftime.

The Chiefs' offense has had drops. The defense and special teams have been plagued by penalties, but Tampa Bay's lead is only 14-6 and Kansas City gets the ball to start the second half.

UPDATE, 6:56 p.m. | With the Bucs playing deep to avoid giving up a big play, Patrick Mahomes has established a connection with Travis Kelce and the Chiefs are on the march.

The two-minute warning comes with the Chiefs on a six-play, 57-yard drive to the Tampa Bay 29-yard line.

UPDATE 6:48 p.m. | Former Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop boots a 40-yard field goal, but Antonio Hamilton was offside for the Chiefs. Video review showed Mecole Hardman Jr. was lined up farther offside than Hamilton.

The penalty nets a first down and one play later Rob Gronkowski hauled in another touchdown from Tom Brady. (Bashaud Breeland had another holding penalty to boot on the play.)

After Succop's extra point, the Buccaneers lead 14-3 with 6:05 remaining before halftime.

UPDATE, 6:42 p.m. | Tyrann Mathieu intercepts a twice-tipped pass from Tom Brady, but a defensive holding penalty on Charvarious Ward negates the play.

Kansas City now has four penalties, including three on the defense and one on special teams, while Patrick Mahomes only has three completions in 12 attempts.

UPDATE, 6:37 p.m. | After Travis Kelce drops a third-down pass that would have had the Chiefs' offense in business, another penalty negates a fine punt and better open-field tackle from Tampa, Florida, native Byron Pringle.

Rookie punter Tommy Townsend follows with a second shanked punt, giving the Bucs excellent field position with 9:03 left before halftime.

Kansas City has three penalties and five first downs so far.

UPDATE, 6:29 p.m. | Chiefs linebacker Ben Niemann stuffs Ronald Jones II on fourth down, denying Tampa Bay a touchdown from inside the 1-yard line.

Kansas City gets a huge turnover on downs, but the offense has some work to do down 7-3 early in the second quarter.

UPDATE, 6:17 p.m. | Tampa native Byron Pringle answers the Buccaneers’ touchdown with a 41-yard kickoff return to set up the Chiefs’ offense with good field position.

The Chiefs face a third-and-4 from their own 43 to open the second quarter.

UPDATE, 6:10 p.m. | Tampa Bay answers the Chiefs' field goal with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.

Rob Gronkowski put the Bucs in front with an eight-yard touchdown reception from Tom Brady for a 7-3 lead after the extra point. It was Brady's first touchdown in the first quarter in his 10 Super Bowl appearances.

Rob Gronkowski
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Rob Gronkowski (87) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.

Brady and company leaned heavily on the screen game that drive and benefited from a penalty in the secondary.

UPDATE, 6:02 p.m. | Harrison Butker connects from 49 yards out and the Chiefs are on the board first with a field goal with 5:10 remaining in the first quarter.

Kansas City had a couple chances for touchdowns on deep throws, but Tampa Bay cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting made a terrific play on a lob for Byron Pringle and another deep throw to Tyreek Hill went through his hands.

Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Byron Pringle during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.
Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.

UPDATE, 5:52 p.m. | Tampa Bay's offense continues to be stuck in the mud.

After Frank Clark swallows up Tom Brady on third down, the Bucs punt again, so Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and the offense will begin with excellent field position.

UPDATE, 5:46 p.m. | Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a first down, but he was unable to connect with Mecole Hardman Jr. on a couple throws and the Chiefs' opening drive also ends with a punt.

The Chiefs' patchwork offensive line gave up some pressure on the opening drive, but Tampa Bay's zone coverage also kept Kansas City bottled up.

APTOPIX Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passes under pressure from Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.

UPDATE, 5:41 p.m. | Tom Brady misfires on third down and the Buccaneers punt on the opening drive. Now, it's the Chiefs' turn.

UPDATE, 5:35 p.m. | The Chiefs won the coin toss and deferred their choice to the second half.

Tampa Bay elects to receive, so Kansas City will start on defense but gets the ball to start the second half.

UPDATE, 5:29 p.m. | The pregame festivities are wrapping up after a message from President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden as well as a rendition of "America the Beautiful" and the national anthem.

Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Fans watch a broadcast of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden before the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.
Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
H.E.R. performs "America the Beautiful" before the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.
Chiefs Buccaneers Super Bowl Football
Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan performs the national anthem before the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla.

UPDATE, 4 p.m. | The Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers released their final list of inactive players ahead of Super Bowl LV.

Two offensive contributors, wide receiver Sammy Watkins and running back Le'Veon Bell, are active. There were no surprises among the inactives for either team.

Blue Springs graduate Khalil Davis, a rookie defensive end for the Buccaneers, is among Tampa Bay's inactives.

Chiefs inactives
QB Matt Moore
RB Darwin Thompson
TE Ricky Seals-Jones
DT Khalen Saunders
DE Tim Ward
CB BoPete Keyes
CB Chris Lammons

Buccaneers inactives
QB Drew Stanton
QB Ryan Griffin
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn
WR Justin Watson
TE Anthony Auclair
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
DL Khalil Davis

SUPER BOWL PREVIEW COVERAGE | The Chiefs made it to Tampa, Florida, for Super Bowl LV against the host Buccaneers.

The game serves as a rubber match for for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, who have split four prior meetings with Brady winning the only postseason matchup.

It’s a potentially legacy-defining game as the 41 Action News “4th & 1” podcast crew, analyst Nick Jacobs and host Tod Palmer, explain in the Super Bowl edition.

Brad is widely considered the greatest NFL QB of all-time, the G.O.A.T., but Mahomes hopes to challenge for that title one day with a league MVP and a Super Bowl title already on his resume.

The goats at Deanna Rose Farmstead seem to like Mahomes’ chances of catching up to Brady, but it starts with a win Sunday.

The Chiefs are relatively healthy for the Super Bowl, with wide receiver Sammy Watkins and running back Le’Veon Bell expected to be available.

Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and center Daniel Kilgore, who were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list early in the week, tested negative all week and were activated again in the days before the Super Bowl.

It was a close shave for the Chiefs.

Mahomes also isn’t worried about a lingering toe injury.

Of course, the Chiefs aren’t fully healthy with the biggest loss coming when left tackle Eric Fisher went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon in the AFC Championship Game.

Fisher’s injury throws the offensive line in flux. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz was shut down with a back injury midseason, so the Chiefs will trot out a pair of backup tackles against Tampa Bay’s vaunted pass rush.

Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. also went down before the Super Bowl with a knee injury.

Kansas City knows that it can’t take anything for granted against Brady, who is appearing in a record 10th Super Bowl and already has won a record six rings.

But Brady knows the Chiefs’ defense has plenty of dangerous players too, including All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu.

The Anthony Sherman saga, wherein a prank with Oreos led to a revenge prank to raffle off his prized truck, provided a welcome diversion during the two-week buildup to the Super Bowl.

Chiefs pride has never been higher ahead of Super Bowl LV, which will feature the smallest crowd in the game’s history amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kansas City native Apryl Rogers, now a nurse in Tampa, will be among the lucky few inside Raymond James Stadium for the game as part of the NFL’s initiative to include vaccinated front-line health care workers.

The Chiefs invited 18 employees from The University of Kansas Health System, which is the team’s official health care partner, to the game in conjunction with the NFL.

Hopefully, they'll enjoy the unique architecture, which was designed by KC-based Populous.

But not all the new was good this week in Chiefs Kingdom.

Former coach Marty Schottenheimer was moved to hospice.

When the Chiefs arrived in Tampa, Andy Reid was the first person off the plane, but his son, outside linebackers coach Britt Reid, didn’t make the trip.

Britt Reid was involved in a crash Thursday that left a 5-year-old girl hospitalized in critical condition.