Mother Nature provided NFL fans a reprieve as a Sunday night showdown will go down as planned when the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.
Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium is scheduled for 8:20 pm EST and will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
Read on for our Buccaneers vs Chiefs prediction, and be sure to monitor NFL Week 4 odds and NFL player stats leading up to Sunday.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs opened their 2022 campaign with back-to-back impressive wins over the Cardinals and Chargers. But in Week 3, they faltered, falling to the Colts in Indianapolis despite leading late into the fourth quarter.
You won’t find many weaknesses on a team that has advanced, at least, to four consecutive conference championship games, but each year in the early going, some of their holes are exposed before they correct and rally.
Chiefs’ Defense Inability
What was most apparent in the loss to Indy were the mental miscues and the defense’s inability to make a stop on the Colts’ final and ultimately game-winning drive.
Patrick Mahomes remains the team’s biggest strength on the field, and the maturity and experience of this team was highlighted when they were able to put a halftime rift between quarterback and offensive coordinator behind them quickly.
Tyreek Hill at the Lead
Tyreek Hill may be leading the NFL in receiving yards in Miami now, but Travis Kelce is still a reliable weapon, heading into the weekend second among all tight ends in yards.
And despite that final drive in Indianapolis, the KC defense did sack Matt Ryan five times and force two fumbles. They’re now fifth in the league in total sacks, one behind this weekend’s opponent, actually.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
So we can start there with the Bucs. They enter this compelling matchup with 11 team sacks, two off the league-high, with the Cowboys setting the pace.
Tampa also is tied for the third-most turnovers created with four through their first three games. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2-1, but things haven’t been pretty yet.
They’ve only scored 51 points total over the first three weeks, which is 37 behind the Chiefs to date and good for among the bottom third in the league.
But you can see why there’s a reason for optimism. The Bucs have yet to have their top corps of receivers healthy for a full 60 minutes yet.
Buccaneers’ Suspension
Chris Godwin injured his hamstring in the opener and hasn’t played since. Julio Jones has been dealing with a knee injury that forced him to miss the last two games.
Mike Evans has been suspended for the Week 3 loss to the Packers after an on-field altercation with the New Orleans Saints and Marshon Lattimore.
Even Russell Gage and Breshad Perriman have been banged up, forcing the team to sign Cole Beasley off the street. Very important when considering Buccaneers vs Chiefs prediction.
Team Season Forecast
Season Forecast for Kansas City Chiefs:
Mahomes acknowledged the team’s difficult NFL schedule after the loss to Indianapolis, saying that the L’s would pile up if they don’t correct their mistakes. And he’s right. There is no easy stretch at all this year for the Chiefs.
Six of their first eight games are against playoff teams from a year ago, and they still play in what many consider to be the toughest division in football, with five games against AFC West opponents still looming. Keep an eye on the Chiefs standings as this season progresses.
Season Forecast for Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
It’s a different story in Tampa as the schedule-makers were a bit easier on Tom Brady and company for 2022. The first four games of the year might be their most difficult portion, having to face:
- Dallas
- Green Bay
- Kansas City
And not to mention the Saints, who always provide them stiff competition.
But after this battle with the Chiefs, seven of the Bucs’ next eight opponents missed the playoffs last year. It should be noted, however, that one of those teams is the Ravens, who appear primed to be back in the hunt in ’22. The Buccaneers odds of winning the Super Bowl remain 10-1.
What to Expect from this Matchup?
There was a contingency plan in place for this game to be moved to Minneapolis had Hurricane Ian affected Raymond James or the surrounding area. But as noted, the NFL matchup will take place in Tampa, the same stadium the Bucs defeated the Chiefs in to win Super Bowl LV two years ago.
Chiefs vs Buccaneers Prediction and Best Bests
As the Chiefs head coach, Andy Reid is 8-4 ATS in a second consecutive road game, and with the Bucs’ players’ minds perhaps focused elsewhere, our Buccaneers vs Chiefs prediction favors KC for this Sunday night showdown.
NFL Pick: Chiefs +1 (-105)
NFL Pick: Under 45 (-110)
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