Week 9 of the NFL season comes to a close in Arrowhead, where the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs will welcome Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chiefs bring their unblemished record into the matchup, doing everything right in the win-loss column as they pursue the elusive three-peat as Super Bowl champions. The Bucs, meanwhile, are 4-4 and sit behind the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. Both squads are dealing with their fair share of injuries as the NFL regular season passes the midway point. The Chiefs will be without linebacker Drue Tranquill and defensive end Mike Danna, while star wideout Mike Evans is the most notable Buccaneers player out this Monday.
The “ManningCast” is back for another week with the “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams are making their second appearance on the alternate broadcast this season: The Chiefs defeated the New Orleans Saints in Week 5, while the Buccaneers lost to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. This is the fourth time Kansas City has been featured on the show, while it's the sixth time for Tampa Bay. Peyton and Eli Manning will be joined by Bill Belichick, actor and Chiefs fan Jason Sudeikis and NBC Sports' Maria Taylor.
The Kansas City Chiefs are unbeaten and have found different ways to win, but they haven't yet looked like a dominant team. Five of their seven wins have been by one score, and they haven't had a strong run like the Lions or Ravens have had, but steady defensive play and clutch offensive moments have Kansas City once again in the driver's seat in the AFC as the season reaches its midway point. The first-half success has also come alongside Patrick Mahomes' worst statistical season. Entering Week 9, he's in the middle of the pack in passing yards (1,651) and touchdown passes (8) and tied for the league lead in interceptions this season (9).
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield enters Week 9 tied for the league lead in picks as well, but he's also leading the NFL in touchdown passes with 21 for an explosive Bucs passing game. The trouble for Tampa Bay is that it'll be without its top two receivers — Chris Godwin is out until at least the start of the playoffs with a dislocated ankle, and Mike Evans is projected to be on the shelf until Week 12 with a hamstring injury.
Rain and wind aren’t stopping the Red Kingdom from supporting its Chiefs. Despite hours of precipitation in the forecast, fans have already started tailgating before sunrise Monday morning. The chance for wet weather isn’t stopping diehard Chiefs fans, with dozens lining up before 5 a.m. Tom Garrison is one regular outside Gate 5, known as the “gatekeeper” for the tailgate group that goes by “Gate 5 Wingnutz.”. Garrusib said he’s more worried about the wind than rain. “Wind is the only thing we are worried about. It can be hard to keep tents up with the wind, but I don’t see any issues really. It should be fun”. Other tailgaters said neither will be an issue for them as tents are staked into the ground to take on the elements. “I cooked pork chops last night on the charcoal grill in the rain, it won’t stop us,” Zachary Weigelt said. “It could be a bit more challenging, but we will make it happen.”
The game itself, however, will be another challenge as the weather promises to be the biggest challenge. Rain is expected to hit Kansas City this afternoon and continue through the first half of the Chiefs game, potentially causing disruptions. Thunderstorms are possible, though severe weather is expected to remain south of the area. The rain will taper off overnight, with temperatures cooling into the mid-50s. Cloudy skies and possible morning sprinkles are forecast for Election Day, with clearing expected by the afternoon. Wednesday will be sunny, with highs near 60 degrees. Showers are possible on Friday and Saturday, with mostly sunny weather expected next week.
Kansas City is expected to have a healthy crowd surrounding GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for the primetime matchup. How do our writers predict this interconference clash will play out?
Braden Holecek: The Buccaneers have been a competitive team all year long. But with injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Baker Mayfield is faced with greater pressure to succeed. The aspect I am watching for the most is just how complete of a game the Chiefs offense plays. Tampa Bay has given up a lot through the air, ranking poorly in pass defense. Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City have a shot to truly put up more points than they have in most contests. Do they actually accomplish that on Monday?
Chiefs 34, Buccaneers 20
Lucas Strozinsky: Without Mike Evans or Chris Godwin, the Chiefs should win this game going away, but it seems like Kansas City has at least one weird home loss every year, especially on primetime. I won't predict a loss here, but it wouldn't shock me if this game was unnecessarily close in this 4th quarter.
Chiefs 23, Buccaneers 16
Patrick Allen: The Chiefs aren't playing well but they are rolling. They'll take on a dangerous but banged-up Bucs team. Tampa has plenty of offensive firepower, perhaps more than any team the Chiefs have played since they took on the Bengals. I expect Deandre Hopkins to play a major factor in sparking the Kansas City passing game. If the Chiefs' defense keeps playing as well as it has been, Kansas City should move to 8-0 on Monday Night Football.
Chiefs 27, Buccaneers 20
Matt Conner: Minus Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, it’s hard to see the Bucs being any sort of offensive threat to Steve Spagnuolo’s defense even with current losses and changes in place. The Bucs are well-coached and hold more talent on the roster than the casual fan realizes, but this is at home in a primetime affair.
Chiefs 24, Buccaneers 12
Felix Johnson: The Bucs are straight up a bad matchup. The defense is bad. The offense is hurt. Chiefs win again.
Chiefs 27, Buccaneers 13
Stacy D. Smith: The Kansas City Chiefs return to One Arrowhead Drive for a nationally-televised tilt with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. Fortunately for them, their NFC opponent will hobble in having lost both of their top two receivers Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (torn ACL). Without them, the Chiefs shouldn’t have as much trouble matching up on the outside despite injuries of their own in the cornerbacks room. The forecast calls for rain, so Kareem Hunt will be a key cog in the Kansas City offensive gameplan. Patrick Mahomes plays another efficient game, DeAndre Hopkins scores his first touchdown as a Chiefs, and the good guys keep the streak rolling and win.
Chiefs 24, Buccaneers 17
Shawn O'Brate: The Chiefs have proven nobody is going to run on them, and with Tampa’s depleted receiver core, it’s going to take one or two trick plays or random moments to give Tampa momentum. The Chiefs offense really seems to be clicking even with new pieces like Hopkins still finding their way. Mahomes will likely have another great regular season game against the Bucs but will be overshadowed by the defense forcing multiple turnovers.
Chiefs 31, Buccaneers 23
Jacob Milham: I feel comfortable knowing the Chiefs win at home. The margin is a pickle. They have the better team on paper, but that didn't lead to a blowout victory in Week 8 over the Las Vegas Raiders. A stout defense will help the Chiefs win, but it will not be comfortable.
Chiefs 23, Buccaneers 20
