Yahoo Finance Super Bowl: Tom Brady vs Patrick Mahomes as Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face Kansas City Chiefs in NFL showpiece
Tom Brady will make his 10th Super Bowl appearance on February 7
(Getty Images)Tom Brady booked his place in the 10th Super Bowl of his career as he guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-26 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
It set up a first Super Bowl appearance for the Buccaneers - the first team to play in a home NFL showpiece for 55 years - since their only victory back in 2002 as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brady will be bidding for a seventh Super Bowl success on February 7 against Patrick Mahomes, who recovered from a concussion scare to lead the defending champions to a 38-24 win over the Buffalo Bills to seal the AFC Championship.
But it was the NFC Championship game which stood out, an eighth consecutive victory away from home for the Buccaneers and against the top-seeded Packers, who had been many people’s favourites for this year’s Super Bowl.
The Buccaneers led 21-10 at half-time thanks to touchdowns by Mike Evans, Leonard Fournette and Scotty Miller. Another touchdown early in the third quarter – this time tight end Cameron Brate collecting a short Brady pass – nudged the visitors further ahead.
The Packers, marshalled by quarterback and likely MVP Aaron Rodgers, fought their way back into the game, thanks in part to a double sack on Brady.
But they were let down by a bizarre decision to kick for a 24-yard field goal for Mason Crosby with two minutes remaining, after which Brady retained possession to the end of the game.
In the AFC Championship game, the Bills started the more strongly as a Tyler Bass field goal and Dawson Knox touchdown put them clear.
But the Chiefs settled before the break at Arrowhead Stadium as Mecole Hardman, Darrel Williams and the returning Clyde Edwards-Helaire all scored touchdowns. It gave them a 21-12 advantage at the halfway mark, which they never conceded.
Two touchdowns by star tight end Travis Kelce took the game away from the Bills to give the Chiefs a second successive Super Bowl appearance, where they will bid to become the first back-to-back champions since Brady and the New England Patriots in 2004.
The game will take place at the Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium for the first time with 22,000 spectators allowed in for the game, including 7,500 free places for healthcare workers.
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