Kansas City Chiefs vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Predictions, Odds & Picks

• In Week 11, KC scored in the last minutes of the fourth quarter to beat the Raiders 35-31 
• Tampa Bay lost to the L.A. Rams on Monday Night Football, final score 24-27
• Last time these two played each other was in 2016; final score, TB 19 – KC 17

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Chiefs vs Buccaneers Predictions and Picks

At this point after nine out of ten wins, it is tough to put much faith in Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs losing many more games this season, so take them over these talented Bucs in Week 12.

Pick

Chiefs -3.5 (-110)

How to Watch Chiefs vs Buccaneers

In Week 11, Kansas City scored in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to secure the 35-31 victory over the Raiders, with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looking excellent despite a pick, completing 34 passes for almost 350 yards and two touchdowns.

Buccaneers QB Tom Brady threw 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in Tampa Bay’s unfortunate Monday Night Football loss to the LA Rams, final score 24-27, giving them a 7-4 record and keeping them just a game behind the Saints in the NFC South.

These two cross-conference rivals have only met each other 12 other times, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning 7 of those games and the Kansas City Chiefs winning the other 5 games.

Can the Chiefs Defense Keep the Buccaneers Out of the End Zone?

The biggest weakness of the Chiefs right now is their inability to stop the run, their rushing defense right now ranked 26th in the league after allowing opponents to gain an average of 134 yards per game on the ground.

That means figuring out a way to neutralize Bucs RB Ronald Jones, who is quietly becoming one of the league’s premier rushers and who will be tough to stop, especially at his own home stadium.

Fortunately, the Chiefs are 8th best in the league against the pass, so forcing the opposing QB to make quick decisions will be one of the keys to a Tampa Bay victory in Week 12.

Can the Buccaneers Pass Rush Contain Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes?

The Buccaneers have the 5th best defense in the league right now, keeping opponents to about 310 total yards and 23 points per game, numbers that might be a bit tougher to achieve against these Chiefs.

Tampa is number one against the run right now, bad news for Chiefs rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who could face a wall of defenders including defensive end Ndamukong Suh and linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul, players who can not only tackle you but wish you’d never try to run in the first place.

However, the Bucs are just middle of the road against the pass (ranked 16th), and that is a problem, especially given the passer they are facing in Mahomes, who currently leads the league in overall passing yardage (3,035) and interception percentage (0.5).

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Chiefs Key Player: (QB) Patrick Mahomes

The key to every Chiefs win is how well their QB Patrick Mahomes plays since he is fast becoming another GOAT contender, though it is obviously too early in his four-year NFL career to make that call.

But look at the guy’s numbers – this season he has completed 254-of-374 for 3,035 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions, and that’s on top of carrying the ball 39 times for 187 yards and 2 more touchdowns.

Mahomes is fun to watch – his improvisational style of quarterbacking is like nobody else who has ever played the game – and he will be an important part of the Chiefs’ 10th victory of the season if the rest of the team’s many playmakers are willing to cooperate.

Buccaneers Key Player: (RB) Ronald Jones

It will be the rushing attack of RB Ronald Jones that will make or break this Tampa Bay team in Week 12, the third-year player fast becoming a fan favorite as he rises to 5th most productive running back in the league.

That is off some impressive numbers – Jones has 153 carries for 754 yards and 5 touchdowns on the season, his longest run, a 98-yarder, currently the longest of the season in the NFL.

Jones is also a threat to catch the ball – he has 26 receptions off 38 targets for 124 more yards of offense – a 5’ 11” 208-pound ball of energy who will be a key to a Tampa Bay Week 12 victory.

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