The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only team to tag the Detroit Lions with a loss this year, now they have their sights set on handing the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season. The Bucs and Chiefs square off tonight at Arrowhead Stadium … and odds don’t favor Tampa Bay succeeding in this lofty goal.
Kansas City is favored by nine points, and that has been enough of a lure for a majority of the bettors on this game to back the visitors with the points.
Do they know something we don’t?
Are they clued in that Kansas City Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has thrown at least one interception in every game he has played this season? Do they know that Tampa Bay Quarterback Baker Mayfield is enjoying one of his best seasons?
Is that why they are taking the Bucs with the points?
That perspective leaves out a couple major factors. First, while Mahomes is not having a stellar season by his standards, he is leading wins and the Chiefs defense is among the best in football. I know most think of offense when the Chiefs come to mind, but this year their success is much more pinned to their suffocating stop unit.
The second area that may be overlooked by the wagering public is that while Mayfield is having a fine season his targets have been reduced in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, in a Monday Night Football primetime game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Buccaneers top two receivers were lost to injuries.
With an important division game coming up against the Atlanta Falcons why Head Coach Todd Bowles even risked Evans in the first of back-to-back home games is open for criticism. Evans was obviously not at 100% before the game started and risking further injury to his hamstring was a gamble that failed. He injured the hamstring much worse in the contest, and is now lost for multiple weeks, including last week’s critical home game against the Falcons.
Late in the loss to the Ravens, Tampa Bay was in desperation mode and their other top receiver, Chris Godwin, suffered a season ending injury. Boom, lose one on a bad decision and another in the late stages of a double-digit loss, and the Buccaneers high hopes go down like an anvil off a four-story building.
Without his two major weapons for his passing game, the Buccaneers did all they could to avoid a second loss this season to Atlanta … but it wasn’t enough. The Falcons moved up in the standings and the Buccaneers got pushed down in their NFC South Division race with a 31-26 loss to the visiting Falcons.
Now they head to Kansas City, still receivers short and hoping to hand the Chiefs their first loss of the season.
Not likely.
So, take the Chiefs tonight?
Did I mention Mahomes has thrown an interception in every game this season? Turning the ball over is one major way to reduce a winning margin, and this season the Chiefs star quarterback has thrown more picks than touchdowns. Eight TD’s, nine interceptions. His quarterback rating is a career worst 84.9.
It seems that the only thing Mahomes knows how to do is win, and while we expect him to do that again tonight, the bloated point spread is enough for us not to get excited about a Chiefs play and still not going to sway us to the Bucs. Which is why this game falls into the category of for viewing purposes only.