The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be playing Monday Night Football in week nine when they take on their Super Bowl LV foes the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on November 4th at 8:15pm 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 to the Buccaneers, 31-9. The Chiefs are currently the only undefeated team left in the NFL and the Bucs will look to snap their streak. Tampa Bay enters the game 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 boasts a defense that is ranked first five in points per game allowed. total yards allowed and yards allowed in 2024. Here are five Buccaneers to watch next kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium:

Travis Kelce has 70+ receptions and 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 in NFL history against a single opponent, and his 103.8 receiving yards per game against the Bucs (including playoffs uri) are second to any tight end. only opponent in league annals. Kelce has a long catch and can stretch the field vertically. Plays with strength and leverage and can adapt to pick up catches. 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 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 the other way for explosive gains. Lavonte David of the Bucs is highly regarded as one of the best off-ball linebackers in the NFL. In five career games against Kansas City, David has accumulated 36 tackles, 28 solo tackles, three passes defensed and one forced fumble. He sets the tone in the middle of Tampa Bay’s defense, with the speed to get from Point-A to Point-B quickly and possessing rare instincts. David did not practice Thursday with an ankle/chest injury he suffered against the Falcons on Sunday, but the team hopes he can play against the Chiefs after an extended week and a gradual reaction. David is fluid in transition and is one of the league’s best at covering tight ends in man.

The Chiefs are allowing an NFL-worst 7.0 receptions per game and 80.9 receiving yards per game to tight ends in 2024, with three tight ends recording 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 touchdowns through Week 7. The every-down tight end is effective as an in-line blocker and receiving threat. With Chris Godwin (injured reserve) out of the lineup, Otton took on a reshaped role and became Baker Mayfield’s target at third. On Sunday against the Falcons, Otton ran a variety of receiving routes to help complement Godwin’s production, and he did so with precision, whether it was underneath pick routes, exploit routes or seven (of corner). With an understanding of zone weaknesses and how to bait defensive backs with leverage, Otton set the tone. Monday could provide opportunities for Otton in the passing game as the Bucs struggle to continue their offensive growth.

Chiefs Pro Bowl center Creed Humphrey allowed a 3.5 percent pressure rate last season — the lowest mark of any NFL center with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps on Next Gen Statistics. Humphrey consistently shuts down defenders at the point of attack, and his wrestling experience shows in his ability to generate leverage and his base strength. On Monday, he will try to stop Vita Vea from getting inside. Vea, a 350-pound wrecking ball, consistently commands double teams and is the enforcer against the run. He beats centers and guards when isolated with power and pairs a quick pursuit with a near-unstoppable rush. Vea can occupy multiple gaps and detaches quickly to collapse the pocket.

Xavier Worthy’s speed hurt the Chiefs offense. Defenses have to account for that, and opposing units have started using two-high coverage to try to limit big plays to Worthy over the top, which creates exploit opportunities for Travis Kelce underneath. He ran a record 4.21 40-yard dash at the Combine and maximizes his acceleration off the line to sell deep routes and then Worthy is able to work on other things like drop back routes. If given a free release, he has the ability to burn right out of coverage. Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum mentioned during this week’s press conference that Worthy has struggled when corners play him more physical, and that’s something Tampa Bay’s secondary will point to when facing the young receiver this week Nine. McCollum leads the Bucs with two interceptions and has tallied 10 passes defensed, 38 tackles and a fumble recovery in 2024, and coaches routinely praise his athleticism. McCollum has fluid footwork to match up the releases and phases of routes well with elite poise. The Sam Houston State product ran 4.33 seconds at the 2022 Combine and has the rebound speed to hang with deep threats and will undoubtedly be tested on Monday night.

In three career games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Antoine Winfield Jr. has collected 18 tackles, 12 solo tackles, two passes defensed and an interception. On Sunday against the Falcons, Winfield Jr. flew downhill and appeared to knock the ball out of Kyle Pitts’ hand before crossing the plane. With inconclusive evidence and no goal camera with the broadcast team, the touchdown stood. Regardless of the decision, that game effort was a microcosm of Winfield Jr.’s impact when he’s on the field. He defends every blade of grass, and the All-Pro safety will be tasked with a variety of roles Monday night, whether he’s limiting Travis Kelce underneath, filling gaps against the run, tackling and holding Patrick Mahomes in the event in which he breaks it. Winfield Jr. is an interchangeable safety who is both capable of covering tight ends, disrupting the box run and handling the post with above-average range and awareness. With effective angles to the ball, Winfield Jr. will be a key component of the Bucs defense on Monday.