The Chiefs kept their perfect season alive with a nail-biting 30-24 overtime victory over the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.
This game had it all, folks: clutch plays, dramatic comebacks, and a game-winning touchdown that capped off a doozy of a matchup in Week 9.
MNF Game Recap
First Quarter: Both teams took their time finding a rhythm, resulting in a relatively slow start. The Chiefs managed to get on the board first with a field goal on their second possession, taking an early 3-0 lead. But this wasn’t going to be an easy win, as Tampa’s defense kept steady pressure on Patrick Mahomes, disrupting Kansas City’s usual offensive flow.
Second Quarter: Tampa Bay was the first to find the end zone. Running back Rashaad White capped off an 11-play drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, putting the Bucs up 7-3. Kansas City quickly responded with a touchdown of their own on the next possession, highlighted by a stunning 35-yard grab from DeAndre Hopkins in double coverage. Hopkins, playing just his second game with the Chiefs, made a near-impossible catch to convert on third-and-8, setting up his own goal-line touchdown a few plays later. The Chiefs took a 10-7 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter: The Buccaneers came out strong after the break, putting together a 10-0 run that saw them reclaim the lead. Tight end Cade Otton made some key plays on Tampa’s opening drive, which led to a touchdown that put the Bucs up 14-10. Meanwhile, Tampa’s defense continued to rattle Mahomes, even managing to sack him on the Chiefs’ first possession of the quarter. The Chiefs eventually found their footing late in the third, setting the stage for a wild fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Kansas City’s ground game started to come alive in the fourth. Kareem Hunt and the Chiefs’ rushing attack took over, contributing to a 14-0 run that pushed the Chiefs into a 24-17 lead. But just when it looked like the Chiefs would seal the win in regulation, Baker Mayfield led a gutsy 10-play, 71-yard drive, connecting with Ryan Miller on a clutch touchdown with only 27 seconds left to tie the game at 24 and send it to overtime.
Overtime: The Chiefs won the crucial coin toss, and Mahomes went to work. He led Kansas City on a 70-yard drive that was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Hunt, who barrelled into the end zone to secure the 30-24 victory. Mahomes leaned heavily on tight end Travis Kelce during the drive, with Kelce making a couple of big catches, including one to set up the game-winning score at the 2-yard line.
Chiefs vs. Bucs Betting Recap
The Chiefs went into the game as the favourites, and their win allowed them to cover the spread, keeping both bettors and Chiefs fans happy. Kansas City’s success on third downs (converting 12 of 18 attempts) and their ability to capitalize in the red zone proved to be the difference-maker.
The Chiefs are now 8-0 and looking unstoppable as they prepare to host the Denver Broncos in Week 10. They are currently priced as –9.5 favourites in that game on the NFL odds board.
The Buccaneers, who drop to 3-5, will head back to Tampa to face a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.