Two weeks ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Green Bay Packers 31-26 at Lambeau Field while the Kansas City Chiefs took care of the Buffalo Bills 38-24 in Arrowhead Stadium to set up the rematch. This is the 14th time in NFL history that two teams who met in the regular season also met in the Super Bowl.
The Buccaneers have made quite a turnaround after a 7-9 record in 2019 to finish at 11-5 this season. They are appearing in their second Super Bowl in franchise history. Quarterback Tom Brady is making his tenth Super Bowl appearance and looking for his seventh ring. The last time the Buccaneers appeared in the Super Bowl was at Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego against the Oakland Raiders under Jon Gruden as Tampa Bay crushed the Raiders 48-21.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, they are the defending NFL champions, looking for their second consecutive Super Bowl title and third overall in franchise history. The Chiefs finished the 2020 season as AFC West champions for the fifth straight season with a 14-2 record. These two teams met back in Week 12 in Kansas City, where the Chiefs defeated the Buccaneers 27-24. Tampa Bay will make history this Sunday as being the first team in NFL history to host the Super Bowl in their stadium.
Since the Super Bowl began in 1967, teams that have beaten their opponents in the regular season and the Super Bowl are 6-7. The New York Giants are the last team to do this over the New England Patriots in 2011. The Giants defeated the Patriots in Week 9, 24-20 in New England and then beat them again in Super Bowl XLVI 21-17 in Indianapolis.
The other teams to do this are the Dallas Cowboys over the Denver Broncos (1977), San Francisco 49ers over the Cincinnati Bengals (1981), Chicago Bears over the New England Patriots (1985), New York Giants over the Denver Broncos (1986), and the San Francisco 49ers over the San Diego Chargers (1994).
On the opposite side, teams that have lost to an opponent in the regular season and would beat them in the Super Bowl are the New York Giants over the New England Patriots (2007), New England Patriots over the St. Louis Rams (2001), St. Louis Rams over the Tennessee Titans (1999), Dallas Cowboys over the Buffalo Bills (1993), New York Giants over the Buffalo Bills (1990), Los Angeles Raiders over the Washington Redskins (1983), and the Oakland Raiders over the Philadelphia Eagles (1980).
Will Kansas City add their name to the history books of beating an opponent twice in one season and repeat as champions? This hasn’t been done since the Patriots did it in 2003 and 2004, or will the Buccaneers spoil the party and add their name to those that got payback in the end. Super Bowl LV takes place on Sunday, February 7th, at 6:40 pm on CBS.
