Imagining Super Bowl LVI: Patrick Mahomes vs Tom Brady
Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes have been the dominant forces within the NFL over the last three years. Tom Brady has won two of the last three Super Bowls, whereas Patrick Mahomes has reached two Super Bowls in his last two seasons, winning one (against the San Francisco 49ers) the and losing the other to Brady.
Now, they seem to be on a collision course once again this season. Of course, players like Aaron Rodgers in the NFC and Josh Allen in the AFC will have their own designs to derail the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. But were they to reach Super Bowl LVI, here is how that might pan out.
Patrick Mahomes exacts revenge for his loss against Tom Brady last season
1st Quarter
Tom Brady gets the game started with a perfect drive that results in a touchdown throw to Mike Evans and a 7-0 lead. Patrick Mahomes then takes over but, despite a couple of good throws, cannot convert on a third down at around the 30-yard line. They elect to take a field goal that makes the score 7-3. There are no further scores in the first quarter.
"It don't matter who we playing with Tommy, we got you!"
Sunday was yet another reminder that @TomBrady is ageless. https://t.co/hVn40hPjaj
2nd Quarter
Patrick Mahomes is the first to strike as he sends a perfect bullet pass with a lightning quick release to Travis Kelce. The score is now 10-7 in favor of the Chiefs. But Brady leads the Buccaneers right back with the help of his trusted lieutenant Rob Gronkowski. In the red zone, they find their final conection of the drive to put the Buccaneers 14-10 up; a lead they take into halftime.
3rd Quarter
The second half begins with the pressure firmly on Mahomes, who as usual comes up big. He leads the team on a drive that sees them parked in the redzone. The first three downs are thwarted, but they decide to go for it on fourth and goal. Patrick Mahomes runs a bootleg to give the Chiefs a 17-14 lead.
Tom Brady fails to lead the Buccaneers back into the endzone and they are forced to punt. With Kansas City having the ball back, Mahomes connects with Tyreek Hill on a deep throw, burning the Bucs secondary to stretch the lead to 24-14.
404 pass yards. Five TDs.
@PatrickMahomes was dialed in for the Wild Card. 🎒
@Chiefs | #ChiefsKingdom https://t.co/BFLbTmsq95
4th Quarter
With the Buccaneers on the backfoot, Tom Brady works his magic again and leads the team on a drive that results in a touchdown throw to Rob Gronkowski once again. The scores are 24-21. The Buccaneers attempt an onside kick but the Chiefs recover.
Mahomes cannot lead his team to the endzone this time, but he does enough to bring it within 50 yards, to set up a successful field goal that stretches their lead out to 27-21. Brady gets the ball again and, as he has done so many times before, guides the Buccaneers to down the field in a drive that culminates in a touchdown pass to Leonard Fournette and a 28-27 lead to the Buccaneers.
Patrick Mahomes tries to pull off another touchdown drive but fails and they have to settle for a field goal again; but it is vital, giving them a 30-28 advantage. With time running out, Tom Brady tries to force the issue and throws his first and only interception of the game to Tyrann Mathieu on a deep throw. The Kansas City Chiefs successfully run out the rest of the clock to win the Super Bowl.