Patrick Mahomes is on a ‘different level’, Calais Campbell tells Inside The Huddle
Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Calais Campbell says the two competing quarterbacks in Super Bowl LV, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, are “the best to ever suit up and play this game”.
Mahomes’ and the defending-champion Kansas City go up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their 43-year-old, six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa – live on Sky Sports NFL from 10pm.
On the latest Inside The Huddle podcast – which you can listen to in the player above – Campbell spoke of the challenges of facing the deadly QB duo.
“It’s going to be a battle of the greats; I can’t wait to see it,” said Campbell. “These are two of the best to ever suit up and play this game. And they both have ridiculous weapons too.
“One is at the tail end of his career [Brady] but who has had so much success. He has so much knowledge; he knows how to beat every single defense there is – knows all the weaknesses.
“The other one is really young [Mahomes], but he is the only real threat to become what Brady is. When you study the tape, you see that he is a ‘different level’ kind of good. He is a winner.
“Mahomes makes things worse, because I could have good rush – beat my guy clean – and he’ll just drift back and throw the ball right on the money.
“I’m right there to get him, I’ll hit him hard and he’ll just be there smiling because he knows his guy has scored a touchdown.”
One concern for the Chiefs heading into Sunday’s game is the torn Achilles injury to left tackle Eric Fisher, sustained in their AFC Championship win over the Buffalo Bills.
With starting right tackle Mitchell Schwartz also still out due to a back injury, Kansas City are having to make three changes to their offensive line – Mike Remmers moving to left tackle, Andrew Wylie to RT from right guard and Stefen Wisniewski coming in at RG – before going up against the Buccaneers’ disruptive edge rushers Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul.
Campbell, though, believes the Chiefs can still get the victory that would see them become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the New England Patriots in 2003-04.
“In this game, you have to have depth because guys do go down – that’s the nature of the business,” Campbell said on Fisher’s injury.
“The next guy has to step up and get the job done; but they have a heck of a job, because they’re going up against two of the best pass rushers in the game.
“But, at the end of the day, you just need one good ball game to win the Super Bowl. You don’t need to think about anything else – just figure out how to put together a few good plays in a row.
“Honestly, I think the game could go either way. It’s probably the hardest game to predict.
“Two good defenses, but they’re dealing with two of the best quarterbacks in the history of the game.
“I think that Kansas City wins, by four – I think it’s going to be 35-31.”
Join us on Sky Sports NFL and Main Event from 10pm on Sunday, February 7 for 90 minutes of Super Bowl LV build-up with Kirk Cousins, Dallas Clark and Cliff Avril joining Neil Reynolds and company; Sky One will broadcast the game from 11pm.
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