Why it’s always fun when Chiefs’ Mahomes plays Mayfield (+ more to watch vs. Bucs)
Crazy things tend to happen when Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield square off.
The Chiefs-Buccaneers game on Monday Night Football will mark the NFL quarterbacks’ sixth head-to-head meeting in college and the NFL.
Mayfield won both college games for Oklahoma against Mahomes’ Texas Tech teams, with the second meeting, in 2016, setting several NCAA records: The pair combined for 1,279 passing yards, and Mahomes matched an NCAA record with 734.
Mahomes set another NCAA high-water mark that evening, piling up 819 total yards (rushing and passing). But OU won the game, beating the host Red Raiders 66-59 in Lubbock, Texas.
In the NFL, Mahomes is 3-0 against Mayfield. All three of those showdowns came when Mayfield played for the team that drafted him, the Cleveland Browns.
In two regular-season games, Mahomes has thrown six touchdown passes and averaged nearly 350 passing yards. He suffered a concussion in his lone playoff matchup against Mayfield, which came in 2020 (backup Chad Henne finished off the Chiefs’ victory that day).
While Mahomes has long been entrenched in Kansas City, Mayfield has revitalized his career in Tampa Bay. After spending the 2022 season with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams, he signed with the Bucs last season, leading them to an NFC South title and playoff victory. He signed a three-year, $100 million contract with Tampa Bay this past offseason.
The Bucs (4-4) lug a two-game losing streak into GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. But Mayfield leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes and is second in yards per game at 273.6.
“It’s like he’s perfect in their system,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “I see a guy who’s getting the ball out really quick. And before the ball is snapped, he realizes what he has and he knows right where he’s going with the ball.”
Also impressive to the Chiefs’ coaching staff: The Bucs lead the NFL in third-down conversion rate at 52.53. The Chiefs are second at 50.55.
Here’s who else to watch when the Chiefs and Bucs kick off at 7:15 p.m. Monday:
Chiefs player to watch: Chiefs safety Justin Reid
The Bucs have lost their previous two games, but tight end Cade Otton was productive in both: a combined 17 receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns. Both TDs came in last week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Reid and the Chiefs’ other safeties will bear a lot of the responsibility for containing Otton on Monday. The Chiefs’ defense has been solid all season, but they rank last against tight ends, surrendering averages of seven receptions and 80 yards.
Chiefs linebackers Drue Tranquill and Leo Chanel will also be tasked with defending Otton.
Bucs player to watch: Nose tackle Vita Vea
The Chiefs haven’t missed a beat in their running game: Kareem Hunt is filling in very well for the injured Isiah Pacheco.
But they’ll face one of the NFL’s top run-stuffing tackles on Monday. Vea’s quickness also allows him to get to the quarterback. Two years ago, he recorded 6 1/2 sacks.
The Bucs’ defensive line will confront a Chiefs’ interior offensive line that’s excelled all season. Center Creed Humphrey and guards Trey Smith and Joe Thuney were all named to Pro Football Focus’ mid-season All-Pro team.
And Humphrey is well aware of Vea.
“He’s a dominant nose guard and has been since he entered the league,” the Chiefs center said. “He presents a lot of challenges. He’s a fun guy to play against.”
One more: Chiefs’ onside-kick return team
The Chiefs didn’t face an onside-kick situation through their first five games.
Now they have seen one in back-to-back weeks.
At San Francisco a couple of weeks ago, the 49ers’ onside kick didn’t travel 10 yards. Against the Las Vegas Raiders last week, however, the result was glum for the Chiefs: KC’s Noah Gray wound up with the ball after a deflection, but fellow tight end Jody Fortson suffered a torn ACL on the play.