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Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

By Bush StaffUpdated 11h ago·2 min read
Kansas City ChiefsKC(0-1 PRE)
Tampa Bay BuccaneersTB(1-0 PRE)
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Best BetBuccaneers -150

Tampa Bay's rolling out a far more settled group than Kansas City is tonight — Mayfield's playing his first preseason snaps in 2 years and the starters around him are staying in longer than usual. The Chiefs, by contrast, are handing the game to 3 different quarterbacks with Mahomes nowhere near the field. That gap in continuity is the whole ballgame here.

Chiefs
  • Fields gets real run to build QB2 case behind Mahomes
  • Kelce and Rice remain top-tier skill talent long-term
  • Lost 5 straight dating back through this preseason
  • Waletzko on IR, Trey Smith and Godrick questionable up front
Buccaneers
  • Won last 2, including the preseason opener over the Jets
  • Mayfield and starters playing extended snaps, Wirfs and Vea healthy
  • Multiple receivers (Egbuka, McMillan, Tez Johnson) questionable
  • Otton and Schrauth banged up entering the night

Fields gets the start and is expected to work into the second quarter before handing off to rookie Garrett Nussmeier, with Chris Oladokun closing things out. Mahomes, still working back from a torn ACL, won't play a snap. For a Chiefs team that's dropped 5 straight dating back to last season and hasn't found the end zone much this preseason either, this game is about finding rhythm at the backup spots, not padding a record.

Tampa Bay's going a different direction. Baker Mayfield is playing his first preseason snaps since 2024, and Todd Bowles has said his starters — Tristan Wirfs among them — will actually see the field, something in the range of 8 to 15 snaps apiece rather than a token series. That's a real look at Tampa's top unit against KC's third and fourth stringers, and the price on the board reflects it.

Travis Kelce says he wants to prove he can play at a higher level than he did a year ago, and Rashee Rice is trending toward avoiding discipline for an offseason legal matter — two storylines worth tracking even in a meaningless August game. On the other sideline, Vita Vea just signed an extension and looks like the anchor of that defensive front for years, which matters more for Tampa Bay's season outlook than anything that happens Saturday night.

Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
(0-1 PRE)
Aug 15Lvs RamsPre12-20
Jan 4L@ Raiders12-14
Dec 26Lvs Broncos13-20
Dec 21L@ Titans9-26
Dec 14Lvs Chargers13-16
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(1-0 PRE)
Aug 14W@ JetsPre24-16
Jan 3Wvs Panthers16-14
Dec 28L@ Dolphins17-20
Dec 21L@ Panthers20-23
Dec 12Lvs Falcons28-29

The injury sheets tell two different stories. Kansas City is dealing with real questions up front — Matt Waletzko landed on injured reserve, Trey Smith is questionable, and depth tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick is banged up too — while several receivers, including Xavier Worthy and Jeff Caldwell, are nursing minor issues. Tampa Bay's list is longer but shallower, mostly game-day-decision questionable tags at receiver and tight end with its offensive and defensive centerpieces expected to suit up.

Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
(10)
  • QuestionableAshton Gillotte (DE) — Gillotte has a ruptured plantar fascia, but the injury is not considered serious, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.08/21
  • QuestionableJeff Caldwell (WR) — Caldwell suffered a hyperextended left knee in Wednesday's practice, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.08/21
  • QuestionablePatrick Mahomes (QB) — Head coach Andy Reid said that Mahomes (knee) won't play in Saturday's preseason game versus the Buccaneers, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.08/20
  • QuestionableDrue Tranquill (LB)
  • QuestionableTrey Smith (G)
  • QuestionableL'Jarius Sneed (CB)
  • QuestionableKader Kohou (CB)
  • QuestionableChukwuebuka Godrick (OT)
  • QuestionableXavier Worthy (WR) — Worthy (shoulder) participated in 7-on-7 drills Monday, Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star reports.08/17
  • Injured ReserveMatt Waletzko (OT) — Waletzko (undisclosed) reverted from waivers to Kansas City's injured reserve list Friday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.08/22
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(6)
  • QuestionableCade Otton (TE)
  • QuestionableTez Johnson (WR)
  • QuestionableJalen McMillan (WR)
  • QuestionableEmeka Egbuka (WR)
  • QuestionableBilly Schrauth (G) — Schrauth (knee) did not participate in Tuesday's practice, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.08/18
  • Injured ReserveKadarius Calloway (RB) — ir08/19

None of this changes what preseason football actually is — an audition, not a résumé. But with Mahomes out again and the Chiefs cycling through three quarterbacks in one night, Tampa Bay gets a cleaner look at its own starters than Kansas City gets at anyone who'll matter in December.

Sources

NFLKansas City ChiefsTampa Bay BuccaneersPolymarketKalshi