Bucs @ Chiefs game preview:

Another week, another chance for Kansas City to...keep winning. Sigh. These intros aren’t getting any easier to write, folks. There’s no “bounce back after a tough loss,” no “seize control of the AFC”—nope, it’s just another week of we’re still undefeated. But hey, we’ll take it, right? This time, it’s the 7-0 Chiefs hosting the 4-4 Buccaneers under the Monday night lights at Arrowh—uh, GEHA Field. Let’s set the scene: the Chiefs are walking into November undefeated, strutting like they own the league because, well…they kinda do

Tampa’s showing up a little worse for wear—missing a few pieces, leaning hard on Baker Mayfield, and hoping Kansas City’s defensive juggernaut is in a generous mood. Let’s see if the Chiefs can keep up that undefeated swagger and make Monday night as predictable as ever.

---

Key Matchups to Watch

1. Cade Otton vs. Justin Reid

Cade Otton has quietly been making noise this year, putting up a stat line similar to that of the Chief's own, Travis Kelce: 36 catches, 344 yards, and 3 touchdowns. With both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin out, Otton’s set to be the guy Baker leans on in the passing game. And here’s where it gets interesting—the Chiefs’ defense has a habit of struggling against tight ends. Can Justin Reid step up and silence Otton, or will Tampa find a rhythm through their rising star? If Reid locks him down, Tampa’s offense might just grind to a halt.

2. Chiefs rush defense vs. Buc's backs

With the Bucs’ receiving room practically a ghost town, they’ll need to lean heavily on both Otton and their ground game. Enter Bucky Irving. He’s no Derrick Henry, but he’s efficient, averaging 5.2 yards on 76 carries, good for 395 yards and 3 touchdowns. It’s not headline-grabbing, but it gets the job done.

The Chiefs’ run defense, however, has been as stingy as ever. If they shut down Irving, they force Baker into some uncomfortable situations—which has generally been great news for Kansas City.

3. Deandre Hopkins vs. Buc's corners.

Let’s talk about the big debut: DeAndre Hopkins at Arrowhead. Last week, he had a quiet 2-catch, 29-yard game, but now, with another week of practice under his belt, this feels like the perfect time for him to pop off. Tampa’s corners are depleted, and if Hopkins can start heating up, we might see a Chiefs passing attack that goes from “pretty good” to “seriously dangerous.”

If Hopkins gets going early, Tampa could be forced into playing catch-up, which hasn’t exactly been their strong suit this season.

---

X-Factors

X-Factor 1: Baker Mayfield

Let’s not sugarcoat it—Baker’s got a tall order on his hands. He’s down his top two targets, can’t rely on the ground game if the Chiefs play up to their standard, and he’ll need to spread the ball around like his life depends on it. And it just might—Chiefs Kingdom is no friend to quarterbacks with few options. Can Baker pull off some magic under the bright lights of GEHA Field? He’ll have to if Tampa has any chance.

X-Factor 2: Xavier Worthy

With Hopkins and Kelce set to devour the middle of the field, this game could be a golden opportunity for Xavier Worthy to take the top off Tampa’s defense. If the Bucs’ secondary shifts too much attention to the middle, Worthy has the speed to sneak behind them and break one for a big gain—or even a score. Look for Worthy to capitalize on his chance and potentially have a breakout night.

---

Prediction

New Weekly Prediction Tradition: My rule for picks is simple: I go with what the Chiefs have shown me. Sure, it hasn’t always been pretty, and they haven’t exactly been firing on all cylinders, but here’s the thing—they haven’t lost yet. So, until they give me a reason to doubt them, I’m sticking with them to win.

(I’ll keep this take on repeat until they finally do lose, haha.)

With Hopkins settling in, a red-hot defense, and Baker Mayfield trying to pull off a primetime miracle, this one’s shaping up to be another notch in Kansas City’s undefeated season. My call? 28-17, Chiefs.