Way-too-early 2021 NFL Power Rankings: Rams, Packers, Chiefs chasing Buccaneers

There was a lot to take in with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-9 win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. It wasn’t just that they held Patrick Mahomes out of the end zone, or won by multiple scores. It was the fact that they were firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball.

Head coach Bruce Arians has been giving credit to his coordinators all season and he continued to dish out the credit after the win. And with what they did, it was fair to do so. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich called a masterful game and will likely be getting a head coaching gig sometime soon.

As for their defense, Todd Bowles reminded us all what a defensive genius he is — and proved that the problems he had as the New York Jets head coach might have been more on the front office than him. He kept Mahomes from going off in this one and while Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill put up a lot of yards, none of it amounted to much at all.

On top of that, we now have to talk about what Tom Brady truly means to this sport. There were those who still thought the success in New England was more about Bill Belichick than Brady but the Pats fell apart without him whereas he simply took a team that hadn’t made the postseason since 2007 to the biggest game — and they won it. As an added bonus, they won it in their own stadium which was a first in the NFL.

For that reason, Tampa Bay should start out the 2021 season atop the NFL mountain, until someone proves they’re the better team.