Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5 Alternate Super Bowl MVPs

2. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE

Super Bowl stats: 1.0 sack, 11 pressures, 4 QB hits

When it was announced that Chiefs Pro-Bowl offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz were ruled out for the Super Bowl, Shaquil Barrett and the Tampa Bay defensive line knew it was time to pin the ears back. Working against backup Mike Remmers, who was beaten up by Von Miller in Super Bowl 50, Barrett had a field day rushing the passer.

Although he only accounted for one registered sack, Barrett generated six total pressures in the first half alone. At times, seemingly having a free run at Mahomes, there was nothing the Chiefs offensive line could do to keep Barrett in check. Barrett finished the game with 11 total pressures, the second-most in Super Bowl history, and forced Mahomes out of the pocket on almost every down.

The best part of what Barrett and the Buccaneers stacked defensive line did was that a majority of their pressures came from only a four-man rush, allowing their young secondary to play deep and not get beat over the top, unlike their previous matchup.

Super Bowl LV was won in the trenches and it was Barrett that spearheaded the onslaught. It was apparent from the Chiefs opening drive that he was going to be a problem and he did not relent as the game went on. Forcing missed throws and registering four QB hits, Barrett disrupted a play on nearly 20 percent of his snaps.

The league leader in sacks last year capped off this year with a dominant performance on the biggest stage. An impending free agent, the Bucs should do all they can to keep Barrett around.