The only one I could see a legitimate argument for is Shaquil Barrett, just for his ability to get to Mahomes? But he’s by no means a clear-cut choice …
Could be Gronk, too? But yeah, Brady seems right.
A very Phil Simms-ian performance from Brady.
Yeah, no single defender stands out. Winfield had the one pick. It feels like Brady’s to lose, right?
I’m seeing people on Twitter agitating for a defensive MVP. Who would that be, though?
True story: Last time Mahomes lost by more than one possession was on Nov. 19, 2016. Iowa State beat him and Texas Tech 66-10.
Just one more Chiefs field goal and two more Bucs touchdowns before this game hits the pregame over.
Tampa Bay is the Iowa State of NFL Mahomes opponents, it’s official.
I KNOW, NEIL
Iowa State reference, Sara!!!!!
I’m spending this entire Tampa Bay drive still thinking about those almost-TD passes from Mahomes.
Just watching this silliness on repeat.
https://twitter.com/benbbaldwin/status/1358604116285603840?s=21
I take a slightly brighter view of drinking at work, but that’s probably just me.
Between “5 to 9” and “let’s drink beers at work because there’s no such thing as play anymore,” these ads are pretty dark vis-a-vis work/life balance.
I didn’t say Darnold! I said “quarterbacks.” Most quarterbacks can’t make plays like Mahomes can.
Actually, Darnold does escape and throw incompletions like that, Sara.
You just say that, Mike, because you’re used to quarterbacks taking sacks in those situations.
Mahomes seems to be intentionally increasing the degree of difficulty. He’s Tin Cupping it.
How many doinks off of helmets are we gonna see tonight? My goodness.
Mahomes is throwing some all-time ridiculous throws that the K.C. receivers are just not catching.
I mean, Mahomes is incredible just for being able to attempt that kind of throw.
That was an inexcusable drop at the end of one of the greatest individual efforts I’ve ever seen.
Mahomes is running around like Fran Tarkenton out here.
Darnold would’ve taken a sack on that previous play.
Speaking of the Jets, Sara, it’s like Darnold is playing this game instead of Mahomes.
Really a bummer that the Chiefs have to use a timeout here.
That would have been the most ridiculous play in sports history, I think?
WHAT WAS THAT PLAY
If that catch had counted, OMG.
Virtual Lombardi is still saying ‘Run to Win.’
I think Hologram Lombardi probably called that last running play, tbh.
Hologram Lombardi says throw it to Kelce again.
Virtual Lombardi must be watching a Super Bowl in another multiverse.
The Lombardi thing is weird, right?
And the third quarter is in the books!
Are you suggesting Mahomes and Brady did a body switch, Josh?
That was only the third catch of the night for Tyreek Hill, with under a minute left in the third quarter.
How do the Jets fans in this blog feel about Bowles?
They’re rightly talking about the job Todd Bowles has done as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator. They have slowed down this K.C. offense in a way we have practically never seen — certainly not in a big game.
Wow, Josh, that feels spookily accurate.
I feel like I’m watching a late-career Mahomes, who can’t make the throws any longer but still thinks he can. It’s wild.
Holy Moly. That does not take Mahomes into account. But still.
Yeah, which is Falcons territory!
It’s 99.3, Mike!
What is Tampa Bay’s win probability now, compared with San Francisco last year and Atlanta vs. New England in that Super Bowl? Have we hit 98 percent yet?
And with that field goal, the Bucs are up 31-9 with 2:46 left in the third.
Maya, I was just thinking about the story Neil wrote when Gronk signed with Tampa Bay — that he and Brady make each other better. But yeah, this is a surprise.
I can’t get over Gronk’s stat line tonight — it almost feels like we’re seeing a mid-2010s New England version of the tight end. Gronk was dominant as a Patriot, but I wouldn’t have guessed, based off his regular season, that he’d be the Bucs’ leading receiver in the Super Bowl. He had a career-low catch percentage this season, at 58.4 percent, and was close to career lows in yards per game (38.9) and receiving yards per receptions (13.8).
Never forget.
https://twitter.com/sung_minkim/status/1358597205171445761?s=20
Gronk woulda had that catch. 😉