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Usually, the home team in a match-up gets a three-point bump in their projection, so when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit as underdogs to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, the books are saying something.
Typically, however, the home team in a Super Bowl doesn’t really get the same consideration. This year is different. I mean, it started differently, the league went through the year with several new and ever-shifting protocols, and now we’re at the end of it all. So why wouldn’t it be a whole new experience on its own, right?
As one Bucs fan put it...
Seems appropriate that this year's Superbowl features a team working from home ♂️#GoBucs #LFG #SBLV#SuperBowlLV
— - dıʞs - (@its_skip_b) February 5, 2021
So, the team that calls Raymond James Stadium home, is playing in said stadium for the Super Bowl. Still, at the time of this writing, the visiting Chiefs (-159) are three point favorites to defeat the Buccaneers (+140) this weekend.
Of course, these two teams clashed in Week 12 of the regular season with the again visiting Chiefs jumping out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead before the home team Bucs came back to outscore them 24-10 in the final three quarters.
As impressive a comeback as it was, Tom Brady’s crew fell three points shy of taking a win into their bye week.
Patrick Mahomes and his team took the win, but the Buccaneers haven’t lost since that weekend. Putting seven straight wins together to get to this rematch seems mission-like. A pursuit of vindication with the ultimate prize waiting at the end if they can achieve it.
Slay the sitting King and return the greatest competitor of all-time back to his rightful throne. HBO could never.
The odds are certainly stacked against Tampa Bay though. Not just the betting odds. On the Moneyline, the Chiefs have been the third-best team to bet on when favored, behind just the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.
Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson returned to practice on Friday from the Reserve/COVID-19 list, so that gives his team a boost.
However, there is still a possibility of rain causing issues for teams that like to run fast and fly high, so keep an eye out on all the factors as we get closer to the big game. Whatever team you’re choosing, nobody is making it easy on you, that’s for sure.