When the Bucs and Chiefs meet at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday night, it’ll be a highly anticipated rematch of Super Bowl LV. On Feb. 7, 2021, Tampa Bay beat Kansas City, 31-9, on the very same field to earn its second-ever Lombardi Trophy. And while this is another Sunday Night Football matchup between the two sides in the same stadium and even in the same uniform combinations, a lot has changed for both teams since that night some 20 months ago.

Yes, it’ll still be the marquee matchup of Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes. And yes, these are still two of the top teams in the NFL. They are, of course, two of the last three Super Bowl champions. But neither team looks the same as it did for the last meeting between the two sides.

A New-Look Chiefs Offense Rides Into Raymond James Stadium

On the Chiefs’ side of things, that Super Bowl loss led to some rapid changes along the offensive line. Kansas City was without both of its starting tackles in that game due to injury, and Tampa Bay took advantage. That offseason, changes were made. Rather than wait on the return of Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher, the Chiefs got younger up front. It wasn’t just turnover at the tackle position, either. The offensive line that the Bucs will see this Sunday only features one holdover from Super Bowl LV – right tackle Andrew Wylie.

Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – Photo by: USA Today

Joining Wylie are Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., left guard Joe Thuney, center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith. Gone are Schwartz, Fisher, Mike Remmers, Nick Allegretti, Austin Reiter and Stefen Wisniewski. But the transition hasn’t done anything to strike fear in the heart of Bucs Pro Bowl pass rusher Shaquil Barrett. Of course, Barrett dominated in Super Bowl LV, racking up a career-high 10 quarterback pressures, three quarterback hits and a sack.

“I really don’t think it’s too much of a difference,” Barrett said this week. “I think we have a lot of favorable matchups. I think we have the opportunity to really dominate the game. We have an opportunity to really impose our will as pass rushers, as edge rushers, this game. We could really have a coming out party.”

Tampa Bay’s defensive front has played at a high level in the first three games of the 2022 season, and it’ll have to get after Mahomes and make life difficult for him on Sunday night if the Bucs are going to get another win over one of the league’s top quarterbacks.

Mahomes has completed 67.9% of his passes this season for 857 yards and eight touchdowns to one interception this season. He’s still himself, but Sunday will be his fourth game without Tyreek Hill, one of the best and fastest receivers in the league. This offseason, the Chiefs traded Hill to Miami.

“They’ve got weapons. They’re still playing fast – they might be a tick little slower without Tyreek [Hill], but [those] guys are still rolling,” Bucs passing game coordinator/inside linebackers coach Larry Foote said Thursday. “They’ve got a lot of speed on that offense – a lot of guys we’ve got to account for. You see a few more different runs than what they had a few years ago when we faced them, but they’re still being led by a great offensive line, and we know the weapon that [Patrick] Mahomes is – it’s a challenge.”

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield, Jr. and Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill – Photo by: USA Today

Hill almost singlehandedly beat Tampa Bay during the 2020 regular season, putting up 203 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. For the game, he caught 13 passes for 269 yards and three scores. Tampa Bay – and Antoine Winfield Jr. in particular – got the last laugh, holding Hill to seven catches for 73 yards in the Super Bowl a couple of months later.

Without “Cheetah,” Kansas City’s offense runs through future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce and dynamic running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Mahomes’ receiving corps, which features Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, isn’t as fearsome without Hill. Even still, the Chiefs are averaging 29.3 points per game through three weeks of the 2022 season.

The Kansas City Defense Hasn’t Escaped Significant Changes

As far as changes go, it’s hard to beat completely transforming your offensive line and trading your No. 1 receiver who just happens to have generational speed. However, the Kansas City defense doesn’t look the same as it did when it surrendered 31 points to Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs’ front has remained largely intact. Chris Jones, Frank Clark and Derrick Nnadi still make up a formidable trio, while the additions of Carlos Dunlap and rookie George Karlaftis has given the group some fresh faces. Where the defensive unit has seen a lot of transition is with the back end. L’Jarius Sneed remains from that Super Bowl LV team, while Bashaud Breeland, Charvarius Ward and Tyrann Mathieu are all gone.

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“It’s a different secondary than it was when we played them twice in 2020, Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans said this week. “They’ve still got Sneed – he plays outside more. He’s a good corner. Their young corners, they play hard. They have trouble finding the ball at times, but other than that they’re physical, they tackle well, they play hard. Their defense – they’re not a bad defense at all. They play [well] together and disguise [coverages] well. We’ve just got to come with it – it’ll be a good challenge for us. We’re looking forward to it.”