Antonio Brown could turn the tide of Super Bowl LV
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
January 27th, 2021
Super Bowl LV is set to be one of the most hyped NFL title games of all-time, thanks to the matchup of Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
However, there are many other important players in this game, and the one I believe could be the most important did not even play in the NFC Championship Game.
Wide receiver Antonio Brown was forced to sit out in last week's victory over the Green Bay Packers because of a knee injury he suffered in the Buccaneers' Divisional Round game against the New Orleans Saints. However, all signs are pointing toward Brown being available Feb. 7.
Sources tell @diannaESPN that Le'Veon Bell, Sammy Watkins, Antonio Brown and Antoine Winfield Jr. are expected to be healthy for the Super Bowl.
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) January 26, 2021
Sources also tell me Jordan Whitehead underwent a shoulder MRI yesterday and they’re taking it day by day. https://t.co/nn7hnkVPJY
AB has not lost a step
Brown joined the Buccaneers mid-season and there were many questions surrounding how much of an impact he could make. He quickly became a major factor in the offense, as he averaged 7.75 targets per game in the regular season.
He also averaged a high number of yards per target (7.8). In his last Pro Bowl season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018, he averaged 7.7 yards per target.
Tom Brady with touchdown number 2 on the day goes to Antonio Brown after Mike Evans leaves with an injury.https://t.co/EZ75TZJEh6
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 3, 2021
If you take away the first game Brown played with the Bucs, Tampa Bay averaged 34.6 points per game and 330.6 passing yards in the final seven games of the regular season. Before Brown was active, the Bucs averaged 30.9 points per game and 265.8 passing yards.
MVP odds
The clear favorites to win Super Bowl LV MVP are the two quarterbacks. This is understandable, given quarterbacks have won 10 of the last 14 Super Bowl MVPs. Mahomes earned Super Bowl MVP in his one and only Super Bowl last season, and Brady took home the award in four of his six Super Bowl victories.
However, in the other two Brady Super Bowl victories, wide receivers received the MVP — Deion Branch in Super Bowl XXXIX (11 catches, 133 yards) and Julian Edelman in Super Bowl LIII (10 catches, 141 yards).
The Super Bowl MVP @Edelman11 showing off the hardware 🏆
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 5, 2019
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/2fWXNKYWy4
In Week 12, the Chiefs held Brown to only two catches for 11 yards on three targets. However, in his previous six games against Kansas City, Brown has averaged 6.3 receptions on 9.2 targets for 93.8 yards per game, with four touchdowns.
The Chiefs defense has shown up in big games this season, but it has allowed some big numbers. Kansas City allowed 7.7 yards per target this season.
If the Bucs can pull out a victory, it will be because Brown had a big game, and you can get him with some great odds to be the Super Bowl LV MVP.
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