Bruce Arians thinks Chiefs will benefit from changes to this year’s Super Bowl Week
Last year, the Chiefs arrived in Miami on a Sunday, one week before Super Bowl LIV kicked off. The next day was the Opening Night craziness at Marlins Park, followed by days of media interviews.
The Chiefs practiced at the Miami Dolphins training facility in Davie, Florida, in the days leading up to the game.
This year, however, things will be completely different at Super Bowl LV. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chiefs won’t arrive in Tampa until the day before the game.
While the players and coaches will do video calls with reporters, they will miss all of the Super Bowl Week activities in Tampa.
Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians believes that will be beneficial to the Chiefs.
“I think it really helps (Kansas City),” Arians said Monday during a news conference with reporters. “Normally when you get to town for the Super Bowl, everybody’s pulling and tugging, you’re trying to get everything done the week before. Then, when you hit town, you’ve got all the media obligations and your practice and game plans are all put in.
“I think it’s a great advantage for them. It’s just an away game. They get to do their normal prep just like we do. Nobody’s going to get tied up in all that stuff.”
Of course, the Buccaneers will have a built-in edge because Super Bowl LV will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Arians acknowledged that benefit, too.
“I think the big advantage is we stay in our own beds and sleep here and just do our normal routines,” Arians said. “Nothing’s out of the ordinary until we hit the media sessions next week, but just to be able to stay in your routines, sleep in your bed and all that stuff, I think it’s a huge advantage.”
During the talk with reporters, Arians also was asked about facing the Chiefs again. In November, the Chiefs beat the Buccaneers 27-24 at Raymond James Stadium.
In that game, Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill had 13 receptions for 269 yards and three touchdowns, while tight end Travis Kelce had 82 receiving yards and Patrick Mahomes threw for 462 yards.
“I mean, you go back and you look at the game and what matchups you had,” Arians said. “This one, familiarity helps. I’m not really excited playing Tyreek Hill and Kelce and Mahomes. That’s a formidable challenge, but our guys will be up for it.”
Arians was asked specifically about stopping Kelce.
“It’s really hard,” Arians said. “He reminds me a lot of Tony Gonzalez, back when he was unbelievable, just trying to stop him. Because he’s got wide receiver skills and he runs like a wide receiver. He runs routes like a wideout, he beats corners. It’s a hard, hard challenge, but Todd (Bowles, defensive coordinator) will come up with some schemes.
“Again, we’ve got to get after the quarterback and we can’t let him run around and make those plays that he and Kelce do so well.”
This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 2:00 PM.
