Three keys to the game against the Bucs

Patrick Mahomes has old Big 12 rival, Baker Mayfield coming to Kansas City for prime time. Here are three keys to the Chiefs handling the 4-4 Buccaneers.

The Kansas City Chiefs are 7-0 and they have a salty but in flux Tampa Bay Buccaneers team coming into town for Monday Night Football this week. The Bucs have dropped two in a row after getting off to a 4-2 start while losing to the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons and losing wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans in the process. 

While they are banged up at wide receiver, they do have wins against the Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and an absolute shellacking of the New Orleans Saints. Of course, they had their two studs at receiver for all of those wins, and neither will be available this week, but Kansas City should not take them lightly. 

It feels like a key to every game is stopping the run, but with the Chiefs, it has almost become a given, as they gave up 33 total yards on the ground last week and are only allowing 82 yards per game on the season, which is second best next to the Ravens. The Bucs have the league’s 10th-best rushing attack, so that will be a factor, but I would expect the same ole same ole from the Chiefs front in that regard. Rachaad White and Bucky Irving are not scaring the Chiefsnse. They are good players, but so are Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, J.K. Dobbins, Alvin Kamara and Jordan Mason, all of whom they shut down. 

With that being said, there are other ways Kansas City can handle Tampa Bay, with ease even. Vegas has the line at -8.5 for a reason and here are the three ways the Chiefs can win and possibly cover that spread as well.