Here is who national experts are predicting will win Chiefs-Buccaneers game
When Chiefs fans tune into Sunday’s game, they should see a familiar face in a Buccaneers uniform.
I’m speaking, of course, about Ryan Succop. Yep, the former Chiefs kicker is now with Tampa Bay. Oh, and former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is playing for the Buccaneers, but you knew that, right?
Tampa Bay, 7-4, enters the game having lost its last two games at Raymond James Stadium.
Here is what fifty-one national experts are saying about the game, which kicks off at 3:25 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS (Ch. 5).
A Chiefs victory is the prediction from Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times. Here is part of what he wrote: “Ahead of the playoffs, Kansas City might want to work out the trouble it had slowing down the offense of its division rivals in Las Vegas, but the Chiefs are a sterling 8-0 against other teams, with Patrick Mahomes presumably on the way to his second Most Valuable Player Award.”
A 31-30 Buccaneers victory is the prediction from the Sporting News’ Bill Bender. This is an excerpt of what he wrote: “The Chiefs have won five straight, but the defense has allowed 31 points in each of the last two games. Tampa Bay’s defense comes up huge in the second half, and Brady delivers a vintage game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.”
All of the eight CBS Sports writers think the Chiefs will win: Jason La Canfora, Pete Prisco, John Breech, Will Brinson, Ryan Wilson, Dave Richard, Jared Dubin and Jamey Eisenberg. Prisco sees a 30-24 score. This is part of what he wrote: “Can Tom Brady keep up with Patrick Mahomes? Jared Goff carved up Tampa Bay’s defense. Mahomes will do the same. The Chiefs will win a second straight road game.”
The Chiefs will win 30-28 is the call from Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. This is an excerpt of what he wrote: “The Chiefs are 18-1 in their last 19 games. I’ve picked against them twice in that span and even that feels disrespectful. Nothing makes me feel dumber than watching Patrick Mahomes break the quarterback position when I foolishly thought it might not happen.”
The Buccaneers will prevail 34-31 says Yardbarker’s Chris Muller. This is part of what he wrote: “Tampa Bay should still make the playoffs — their schedule is very weak after this game — but they have not turned into the kind of juggernaut that some thought they would be. There is still time, however, and a win over the Chiefs would be a loud message.”
The Chiefs will get the win say both Mike Florio and Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Smith thinks it’ll be a 30-21 score. This is what he wrote: “Sunday’s best game will give Patrick Mahomes a big opportunity to show that he has taken over Tom Brady‘s title of best quarterback in the NFL.” Florio picked a 31-24 score. He wrote: “The Bucs don’t have a prime-time problem; they have a big-game problem. And this is another one..”
All four writers at Sports Illustrated Monday Morning Quarterback see a Chiefs win: Gary Gramling, Mitch Goldic, Albert Breer and Jenny Vrentas.
All 10 experts at ESPN see a Chiefs victory: Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Dan Graziano, Mina Kimes, Jason Reid, Laura Rutledge, Kevin Seifert, Trey Wingo, Damien Woody and Seth Wickersham.
All seven experts at USA Today think the Chiefs will win: Jarrett Bell (31-27 final score), Nate Davis (33-24), Jori Epstein (28-20), Mike Jones (34-29), Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz (35-27), Lorenzo Reyes (29-24) and Tom Schad (38-30).
Nine of 10 members of the Dallas Morning-News picked the Chiefs: Michael Gehlken, Dana Larson, Damon Marx, Craig Miller, David Moore, John Owing, Newy Scruggs, Kevin Sherrington and Calvin Watkins. The lone pick for the Bucs: Tim Cowlishaw.
A Chiefs victory is the pick from half of six Bleacher Report writers. Brad Gagnon, Master Tesfatsion and Matt Miller took the Chiefs. Picking the Buccaneers: and Gary Davenport, Kalyn Kahler and Brent Sobleksi. Here is part of what Gagnon wrote: “This isn’t a prime-time game, but it’ll feel like one by the second half. Tampa Bay is also 0-2 when playing on short rest, and Sean McVay gave Andy Reid a blueprint for how to exploit that aggressive Buccaneers defense. This could be a blowout.”
This story was originally published November 29, 2020 at 8:27 AM.
