Traditionally, the Pete Rozelle Trophy has only been awarded to a player for being the Super Bowl MVP. Maybe that should be changed going forward, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff made a very valid claim to that title during the 55th version of this end of the season classic.
Sure, Tom Brady stood out as the individual on the field who led a commanding victory over the favored Kansas City Chiefs. Three touchdown passes and 21 of 29 for 201 yards against a solid Chiefs defense, and excellent game management, all at the age of 43 years old made him the obvious candidate.
But what we witnessed was a complete game by the Buccaneers against one of the most explosive offenses in NFL history, a Chiefs defense that was solid and opportunistic, and some of the best coaching minds in the game on the other sideline. En route to a dominating 31-9 win, the Buccaneers seemed prepared for everything the Chiefs threw their way.
It started from the top with Coach Bruce Arians, long known for his connections with his players and his creative approach to the game, and a major reason why Tom Brady landed in Tampa Bay. The offense hummed along in a very efficient and effective fashion that delivered a smashmouth running game expertly meshed with a strong passing game (that benefited from excellent protection for Brady). Byron Leftwich pulled off the kind of balanced gameplan that nearly every coach strives for, but few can stick to, typically because the other team has other plans. In this case, the other team couldn’t execute their own plans due to an outstanding Bucs defensive game plan, executed to perfection under the guidance of Todd Bowles. Along the way, an impressive array of players stepped up with strong efforts, all at the right times, and due to the kind of direction you can’t help but take your hat off to great coaching.
Like small armies, NFL coaching staffs operate tirelessly while balancing their own team-within-a-team dynamics. Bruce Arians was the maestro.
And plenty has been said about this staff being built with more diversity and with more African-American coordinators than ever seen before in the NFL. Heck, they also have two women coaches.
There are plenty of folks who will point to the star players Tom Brady attracted to the team as the real reason for the win. On the other hand, Gronk’s been out of the league for a year, a toxic and unpredictable Antonio Brown was no sure bet, and Leonard Fournette ran himself out of Jacksonville. Others bemoan the ref impact, as multiple penalties went against the Chiefs. Importantly, it was noted by many prior to the game that the Chiefs secondary was known for being very grabby and prone to those kinds of penalties. And what about home field advantage? The list goes on.
But the bottom line was that a remarkable collection of coaches pulled a team together with a lot of new pieces, and orchestrated a stunning upset against a top notch coaching staff in a year chock full of distraction, and made it look easy.
That’s my MVP.
More from The Woody Paige Sports Network:
- Betting odds for where Deshaun Watson will play in 2021
- Woody Paige: That time I played blackjack with Michael Jordan in Monte Carlo
- Atlanta Falcons lose by accidentally scoring a touchdown
- Woody Paige: Denver Broncos could become NFL’s version of New York Knicks
- Cartoon: 2020 settled the debate — Tom Brady was more important than Bill Belichick
- John Elway’s 7 best moments as General Manager of the Denver Broncos
- Here’s why the Lions and Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving Day
