chiefs backs
when: Monday, November 4, 2024 | where: Arrowhead Stadium – (Kansas City, Missouri) | Expedia kick off: 8:15pm ET tv set: ESPN
Play by play: Joe Buck | Analyst: troy aikman Side job: lisa salters
wireless: 98 Rock 97.9FM | Play by play: Gene Deckerhoff Analyst: Dave Moore | Side job: TJ Rives
As game day approaches, it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make their weekly game predictions and provide game previews for this week’s matchups. Let us know what you think in the comment section of the article. Please also add your predictions.
Scott Reynolds: Bucks lose 3 straight, batting average below .500 with KC loss
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Wow, look. All five Pewter Reporters have a 4-4 prediction for the Buccaneers. But unless one of us picks Tampa Bay to upset Kansas City on Monday Night Football, I think the Pewter Reporters will fall to 5-4 and the Bucs to 4-5. I think the Chiefs will win, but that’s not because I grew up rooting for the Chiefs when I lived in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. My loyalty to the Chiefs is long gone. But I’ve been to Arrowhead Stadium many times and it’s hard for opponents to beat, especially on Monday Night Football. Andy Reid is the head coach, Patrick Mahomes is the QB, The Chiefs are undefeated.
Mahomes has only thrown eight touchdowns, but his nine touchdowns are tied with Baker Mayfield for the most in the NFL. Still, he’s seen Kirk Cousins and Lamar Jackson combine for nine touchdowns and no picks over the past two weeks, and he’s had trouble playing Todd Bowles’ pass defense, which is currently in disarray. Must be struggling. For Mahomes, this is a “rejuvenate” game and he will throw at least three touchdowns in a game that will never be out of reach for the visiting Buccaneers. Expect Travis Kelce and Noah Gray to have big games against Tampa Bay. Because that’s the tight end’s job against Todd Bowles’ defense.
Offensively, points and yards will be much harder to come by this week. Not only are the Chiefs in the top five in total defense in the NFL, but they are also in the top five in scoring defense. Offensive coordinator Liam Cohen was able to put up points and yards last week against a very average Falcons defense without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. That won’t be the case in Kansas City this week, and running the ball will be an uphill battle. The Chiefs won, moving to 8-0.
Reynolds game prediction: Chiefs 30, Bucks 20
Reynolds season record: 4 wins, 4 losses.
Matt Matera: Bucks embarrassed on Monday Night Football
Bucs ILB KJ Britt and Lavonte David – Photo by Jeffrey Jones/PR
After hearing what Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and co-defensive coordinator Larry Foote had to say this week, it’s clear the Bucs don’t have an answer as to what to do at inside linebacker. . The team still refuses to line up another linebacker with KJ Britt, who struggles mightily in pass coverage, because all the other linebackers can’t keep up with the speed of the defense.
With that information, how are we supposed to believe anything will be fixed when they face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense? Tight ends have been a pain for the Bucs all season, especially in the last two games. Will they suddenly figure out the equation and slow down Travis Kelce? here we go. DeAndre Hopkins will be running Bucs corner Josh Hayes alongside him, as the Chiefs will use the speed of Xavier Worthy to attack Hayes, who is expected to make his first NFL start. Not to mention having another match under his belt.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the Bucs offense does against Kansas City’s defense. Tampa Bay showed they can score differently. If the Bucs can find continued form in their running game with Rashard White, Bucky Irving, and Sean Tucker, they’ll survive, at least for a while. Will Rakim Jarrett step up as a receiver? They need someone other than Cade Otton to help Baker Mayfield. The Bucks may need to score all night to win, but it’s too difficult to do that on the road against this opponent.
Matera game prediction: Chiefs 38, Bucks 20
Matera’s season record: 4 wins, 4 losses
Bailey Adams: “Bucs can’t handle Chiefs’ first loss of the season”
Bucks HC Todd Bowles – Photo courtesy of USA Today
You can’t pick the Bucks out of these. Last week, against my better judgment, I picked Tampa Bay to beat Atlanta and split the season series. Instead, Todd Bowles’ defense had no answer for Kirk Cousins and Co., and the team lost its second straight game. So how can you justify the Bucks walking into Arrowhead Stadium and suffering their first loss of the season to the 7-0 Chiefs? Even if Kansas City isn’t like that. Saw This year has been unbeatable and has continued so far. And I don’t like the chances of Tampa Bay changing that on Monday night.
The Buccaneers’ defense is just terrible. There really isn’t much help along the way, and even though Patrick Mahomes hasn’t been at his best this season, it doesn’t look like he’s going to have much trouble moving the ball and scoring points with this unit. Travis Kelce has a big game coming up against Tampa Bay’s linebacking corps, which may not be available for coverage right now, which could break out with the recent trade for DeAndre Hopkins.
I continue to have faith in offensive coordinator Liam Cohen, but it’s hard to imagine Baker Mayfield having a completely clean game considering how he’s played lately. I don’t necessarily think the offense will be the problem in this game, but the problem is that Bowles’ defense is so bad that they’ll need a near-perfect offense to beat the Chiefs. I don’t see it here, and I think the defending champion rolled.
Adams’ game prediction: Chiefs 31, Bucks 20
Adams’ season record: 4 wins, 4 losses.
Josh Quapo: Bucks shocked the world with first loss of the year to Chiefs
Bucks QB Baker Mayfield and LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo courtesy of USA Today
There’s no logical reason for the Bucks to win this game, so don’t ask me to give it to you. Kansas City’s offense aims to hit exactly where the Bucs are currently weakest. They are an on-schedule, run-first team with few explosives on the field in the passing game. Patrick Mahomes has reinvented himself in recent years, primarily as a game manager.
Kansas City’s defense is one of the best in the NFL and will certainly challenge Liam Cohen, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ rebuilt offense. While they do well in prime-time games, the Bucks haven’t, losing at home to Atlanta two weeks ago on Thursday Night Football and at home to Baltimore two weeks ago on Monday Night Football. Other than the fact that I think Tampa Bay’s offense will hold up surprisingly well against a very good Kansas City defense that features All-Pro Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, We do not have detailed analysis to show that there is an advantage. And now we have the likes of Josh Uche.
It’s called vibes. Call me expecting all of my colleagues to take over Kansas City. I like being contrarian. Call it “Strange Things Happen Sometimes in Football.” But let’s call it an upset Bucks win thanks to a Chase McLaughlin field goal.
Quipo’s game prediction: Bucks 24, Chiefs 21
Queipo’s season record: 4-4
Adam Thrivon: Bucks fall to Chiefs – and below .500
The Bucks head into Monday night looking to get back on track with a win. It has been a tough battle for the team since defeating the Saints 51-27 in Week 6. It’s been a real uphill climb since then without star wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin — and playing against seven teams doesn’t get any easier — at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday Night Football Chiefs on the road.
It’s no secret that Tampa Bay has struggled tremendously defensively this season, allowing 26.6 points per game. Kansas City’s offense is led by Patrick Mahomes, but the Chiefs have not been able to dominate that side of the ball. Unless Todd Bowles can come up with a defensive game plan that can limit Kansas City’s offensive success and number of points on the scoreboard, things could change in prime time. Baker Mayfield had some success through the air against the Falcons, but the Chiefs boast an elite defense. Of course, there’s star defensive tackle Chris Jones, but linebackers Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal pose problems for the midfield defense. Chenal is good in coverage, which could limit Cade Otton’s success.
Halfway through the season, it’s becoming clear where the Bucks’ strengths and weaknesses lie. While the offense has improved and is able to accumulate points without their star players, the defense is not up to the task. I don’t think that will change dramatically against a well-coached, undefeated Chiefs team. We were able to maintain a close level, but not enough to avoid a drop below .500.
Srivon’s game prediction: Chiefs 27, Bucks 20
Srivon’s season record: 4 wins, 4 losses
