Buccaneers vs. Chiefs: The best field goal props for Super Bowl LV
Most casual fans and bettors will be focused on the exploits of quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Super Bowl LV (6:30 p.m. ET, CBS). But die-hard bettors know that the Super Bowl offers an embarrassment of riches when it comes to prop bets.
Let’s turn our attention to the place kicking battle between the Chiefs’ Harrison Butker and the Bucs’ Ryan Succop, and see what the best available field goal props are for Super Bowl LV.
First Successful Field Goal
This market feels like a coin flip at first glance, but there’s a little bit of logic to employ in picking the Bucs here.
Succop attempted four more field goals than Butker did in the regular season (31-27). The Bucs have also been risk averse when it comes to going for it on fourth down, making the third-fewest attempts in the NFL this year (14).
Ryan Succop nails a 46-yard clutch kick to give the Bucs an 8-point lead with under 5 minutes remaining. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/vD5qHhDsRX
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 24, 2021
If Tampa is stopped deep inside enemy territory, expect head coach Bruce Arians to call on Succop, who was a perfect 19-for-19 inside 40 yards this season.
NFL pick: Bucs (-117)
Total Successful Field Goals by Chiefs
This is not a slight against Butker, but bettors should not expect him to make two field goals in the Super Bowl.
HARRISON BUTKER ICES IT
— PFF (@PFF) September 20, 2020
Automatic.
pic.twitter.com/FUlt3xg1XH
Kansas City was one of the league’s best third-down offenses in the regular season, converting at a 49.5% clip. By contrast, the Bucs’ defense was 19th in opponent third down conversion percentage (42.2%).
The Chiefs also boast a solid red zone offense, as they rank 11th in touchdown percentage (61.4%). Tampa’s defense was again 19th in this corresponding department (62.3%).
The total was set at 56 points for a reason – these offenses don’t rely on their kickers to win the day.
NFL pick: Under 1.5 (-106)
Total Yards of Longest Successful Field Goal
Our pick in this market will follow the same strain of logic as the one above it.
Super Bowl LV looks like it will be a shootout, meaning fewer field goal attempts and more touchdowns. That in and of itself lowers the likelihood of a long field goal even being attempted, let alone made.
Super Bowl champion kicker Harrison Butker drilled a 77-yard FG.
— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) April 4, 2020
He was nailing 65-yard field goals back in high school! 😲
(Via @KornblueKicking / @buttkicker7 ) pic.twitter.com/0FGntL1eMF
Succop attempted a mere two field goals from more than 50 yards away, making one. Butker converted at a 100% clip from 50 yards or more, but was afforded only four attempts all season.
NFL pick: Under 47.5 yards (-114)
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