Article courtesy of BETUS. BETUS is a sportsbook partner of Pewter Report.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 4-4 and reeling. The Kansas City Chiefs are 7-0 and not so.

The teams meet in Arrowhead to wrap up the NFL’s ninth week of the schedule Monday evening.

The Bucs have been losing games and without their best players as well. Wide receiver Chris Godwin (dislocated ankle) is out the rest of the season, while wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) is expected back in a few weeks.

The team lost 31-28 at to the Atlanta Falcons this past Sunday, continuing a trend of playing wild games along the way. There were scores of 36-30 (overtime loss, also to Atlanta) 51-27 (win over New Orleans) and 41-31 (loss to Baltimore) over the last month.

Playing without reliable receivers was evident against the Falcons. Tight end Cade Otton led with nine receptions (81 yards), Rakim Jarrett had three catches (58 yards), while running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White caught a combined dozen balls.

All the while, it’s the Chiefs who continue to find ways to win as the only undefeated team in the NFL. Returning off a bye, KC was a 28-18 victor in a Super Bowl rematch over the injured-riddled San Francisco 49ers at Santa Clara a couple of weeks ago.

It’s Kansas City as an 8½-point favorite (total at 46), according to NFL odds.

It’s the 16th meeting between the teams (including Super Bowl LV), with the Chiefs leading, 8-7. 

Todd Bowles Isn’t Pleased

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a .500 entity and remain in the playoff hunt, despite slumping currently. As was mentioned, they are without their top two receivers. Head coach Todd Bowles is no dummy, realizing the path to winning games is preventing turnovers and playing smart.

Enter quarterback Baker Mayfield (2,189 passing yards, league-leading 21 touchdowns, nine interceptions), who has thrown seven picks in his last three outings. Bowles isn’t overjoyed, and Mayfield and the rest of the offense will need to prove themselves.

“Just understanding when we’re in scoring position, trying not to force it,” Bowles said. “Sometimes it’s not there, sometimes you can make a great throw but not force every ball and get it to the guy that’s open. Sometimes three points is better than a turnover.”

Here’s a fun factoid…Mayfield has a league-worst nine interceptions this season, along with his opposite number here (Patrick Mahomes) and the Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love.

Chiefs Not Resting

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – Photo by: USA Today

A week after landing ex-Tennessee Titan wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Kansas City Chiefs were at it again, trading with the New England Patriots to acquire linebacker Josh Uche. Uche was a second-round pick back in 2020, with 11.5 sacks in 2022, three in 2023 (with two in 2024). Uche will make his Kansas City debut in this game.

Back to the rest of the Chiefs. While they’re undefeated, they haven’t been blowing away the opposition (point differential of +50, so just over seven per game). 

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (1,551 passing yards, eight touchdowns, nine interceptions) has been more of a wild card than usual, coming off a career-high 14 picks last season.

That’s nitpicking, of course. There isn’t anyone better with the game on the line, and no one who’s not named Tom Brady can continually win with a rotating (via injuries or player movement) cast of characters. 

Give the Points

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

While the Kansas City Chiefs remain favored (9-2, [+450]) to win a third title in a row, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 65-1 (+6500), as per Super Bowl LIX odds.

If you can deduce the team getting the more consistent play at quarterback, you may be able to figure out this game.

Baker Mayfield (seven interceptions in the last three games) and Patrick Mahomes (at least one interception in all seven games) have certainly given the other guys some gifts.

The other side of the ball may provide the answer as Kansas City Chiefs surrenders 17.6 points/game (sixth in NFL), 10 fewer than the people in pewter. 

Also, Tampa Bay has been proven vulnerable (131.63 yards/game) against the rush.

With just too many inconsistencies and injuries surrounding the Bucs, we are going with the Chiefs minus 8½.