$5 to watch out for against the Chiefs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play on Monday Night Football in week nine when they take on their Super Bowl LV foes, the Kansas City Chiefs, at Arrowhead Stadium on November 4 at 8:15 PM ET on ESPN. The defending champion Chiefs have advanced to four of the last five Super Bowls, with their only Super Bowl loss coming after the 2020 season when they lost 31-9 to the Buccaneers. The Chiefs are currently the only undefeated team in the NFL and the Bucs will look to break their streak. Tampa Bay enters the matchup with an offense that ranks in the top five in points per game, total yards per game, third down percentage and red zone touchdown percentage, while Kansas City features a defense that ranks in the top five in points allowed points per match. total yards allowed per play and yards allowed per play in 2024. Here are five Buccaneers to watch after kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium:

Travis Kelce has collected over seven receptions and over 70 receiving yards in three of his last four games. Kelce’s 8.5 receptions per game against Tampa Bay (including playoffs) are the most of any tight end versus a single opponent in NFL history and his 103.8 receiving yards per game against the Bucs (including playoffs ) are the second-highest of any tight end versus a single opponent in the annals of the league. Kelce has a long catch radius and can stretch the field vertically. He plays with power and leverage and can adjust to get grabs. Kelce is the security blanket for Patrick Mahomes and is one of the toughest covers in football. He gets in and out of breaks quickly as a receiver, and he is adept at picking up YAC yards with the ball in his hands. Kelce is one of the best at making defenders think he’s going one way, then going another for explosive gains. Bucs’ Lavonte David is highly regarded as one of the best off-ball linebackers in the NFL. In five career games against Kansas City, David has recorded 36 tackles, 28 solo tackles, three passes defensed and a forced fumble. He is the tone setter in the middle of Tampa Bay’s defense and can get from point A to point B quickly, and he has rare instincts. David did not participate in practice on Thursday due to an ankle/chest injury he suffered against the Falcons on Sunday, but the team hopes he can play against the Chiefs after a longer week and a gradual recovery. David is fluid in transition and is one of the best in the league at bridging tight boundaries in humans.

The Chiefs allowed an NFL-worst 7.0 receptions per game and 80.9 receiving yards per game to tight ends in 2024, with three tight ends posting more than 90 receiving yards in a game against Kansas City in 2024, including Isaiah Likely, George Kittle and Mike Gesicki. Cade Otton leads Tampa Bay with 17 receptions and 181 receiving yards in Weeks 7-8 and ranks second among tight ends in targets, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns since week seven. The tight end on every down is effective as an in-line blocker and as a receiving threat. With the absence of Chris Godwin (injured reserve) from the lineup, Oton has taken on a new role and become Baker Mayfield’s favorite target at third. Against the Falcons on Sunday, Otton ran several receiver routes to complement Godwin’s production, and he did so with precision, whether it was pick routes underneath, breakouts or seven (corner) routes. With an understanding of the weak spots in the zone and how to lure defensive backs with leverage, Otton set the tone. On Monday, Oton could provide opportunities in the passing game as the Bucs battle to continue their offensive surge.

Creed Humphrey, the Chiefs’ Pro Bowl center, allowed a 3.5% pressure rate last season — the lowest mark among all NFL centers with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps per Next Gen Stats. Humphrey consistently blocks defenders at the point of attack and his wrestling background shows in his ability to generate leverage and in his core strength. On Monday he will try to stop Vita Vea from penetrating. A 350-pound wrecking ball, Vea consistently commands double teams and is the enforcer against the run. He overpowers centers and guards when isolated with power, combining a high-speed pursuit with a near-unstoppable bull rush. Vea can occupy multiple holes and is quickly ready to collapse the bag.

Xavier Worthy’s speed has had an impact on the Chiefs’ offense. Defenses have to take note and enemy units have started using two high shell cover to try and limit big plays to Worthy over the top, creating opportunities for Travis Kelce underneath to exploit. He ran a 4.21 40-yard dash at the Combine and maximizes his acceleration off the line to sell deep routes, then Worthy can turn them into other things, like comeback routes. If he is released in free agency, he has the opportunity to burn past the cover. Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum said during his press conference this week that Worthy struggles when corners play him more physically and that’s something Tampa Bay’s secondary will emphasize when he faces the young receiver in week nine. McCollum leads the Bucs with two interceptions and has 10 passes defended, 38 tackles and a fumble recovery in 2024, and coaches routinely praise his athleticism. McCollum has fluid footwork to fine-tune releases and phase routes for elite balance. The Sam Houston State product ran a 4.33-second 40 at the 2022 Combine and has the recovery speed to stick with deep threats and will undoubtedly be tested Monday night.

In three career games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Antoine Winfield Jr. Collecting 18 tackles, 12 solo tackles, two passes defended and one interception. Against the Falcons on Sunday, Winfield Jr. flew. downhill and appeared to knock the ball out of Kyle Pitts’ hand before it crossed the plane. With unclear evidence and no goal-line camera on the broadcast crew, the touchdown stood. Regardless of the verdict, that effort game was a microcosm of Winfield Jr.’s impact. when he was on the field. He defends every blade of grass, and the All-Pro safety will take on a variety of roles Monday night, whether it’s limiting Travis Kelce underneath, filling gaps against the run, blitzing and containing Patrick Mahomes if he breaks control. Winfield Jr. is a switchable safety who is equally adept at covering tight spots, disrupting the run in the box and manning the post with above-average range and awareness. With effective angles to the ball, Winfield Jr. be a key part of the Bucs’ defense on Monday.