Helping to close out Saturday’s loaded 10-game NFL preseason slate, the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to bounce back from a 20-12 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams in their preseason opener. In contrast, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to build off a 24-16 win over the New York Jets.
Looking at the odds, the Buccaneers enter as 5.5-point favorites with -230 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Chiefs are +190 to pull off the upset, with the game total set at 36.5 points.
Chiefs at Buccaneers prediction, pick
Kansas City Chiefs preview
The Kansas City Chiefs fell 20-12 in their opening preseason matchup at the hands of the Rams. It was a competitive game in which the Chiefs held a 9-6 lead in the third quarter, but Kansas City couldn’t find the end zone at any point. Patrick Mahomes continues to recover from his torn ACL and is expected to be kept sidelined throughout the entirety of preseason. The franchise face is on track to be ready for Week 1, but Kansas City is being careful with his management.
In his absence, Justin Fields got the start at quarterback in the preseason opener. The former 11th overall pick completed all four of his passing attempts for 41 passing yards and added nine yards on the ground. Seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier took over in the second quarter and completed 13 of his 19 pass attempts for 98 yards. Chris Oladokun was the lone other quarterback to get a chance, completing five of his 11 pass attempts for 63 yards, while adding 27 rushing yards. Emmett Johnson opened some eyes at the running spot, leading the team with 12 carries for 59 yards and adding three catches out of the backfield.
Unlike many NFL teams, the Chiefs have not committed to resting their starters for this Week 2 preseason matchup. Expectations should still be tempered for the more notable names, but Andy Reid continues to build up Nussmeier and Fields publicly and expects each guy to get some significant chances in this game. Beyond the quarterback spot, there are plenty of questions about the offensive line position on this Chiefs roster. The backup tight end is also a competitive race, while the wide receiver depth chart has not been fully established.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got off to an encouraging start to their 2026 season, taking down the New York Jets 24-16. The Jets leaped out to a 10-0 lead in the matchup before Tampa Bay tied the game and eventually took over the driver’s seat. Most of the starting unit was kept off the field for the opening preseason matchup, but head coach Todd Bowles told reporters he is expecting to lean on Baker Mayfield and the starters for a few snaps in this Week 2 preseason matchup.
In his absence, Kansas product Jalon Daniels opened some eyes in his first taste of NFL action. The underdrafted free agent completed 10 of his 15 pass attempts for 111 yards and showcased his dual-threat ability with a rushing score. Connor Bazelak was the lone other player to take snaps under center, completing 12 of his 20 pass attempts for 72 yards. Jake Browning is also in the quarterback room and is expected to make his Buccaneers debut in this matchup. Browning suffered a back injury during joint practice against the Jets and was held out of the preseason opener.
Outside of the quarterback position, there are plenty of other questions about other positional battles. Emeka Egbuka will be held out of this matchup, so Mayfield will look to build chemistry with the rest of the receiving core. Tampa Bay made some notable additions to the defense, headlined by 15th-overall pick Rueben Bain Jr. at the EDGE position, as well as OLB Josiah Trotter and CB Keionte Scott, who have each made some positive early impressions. There is still plenty undecided on the roster at the wide receiver, tight end, and offensive line spots, and expect each player to be focused on making their case for why they deserve to stick on the Buccaneers’ roster and play their desired role.
Chiefs at Buccaneers best bet
The Buccaneers enter as 5.5-point favorites, which is significant in the preseason. My lean is toward Tampa Bay winning and covering by this margin, with Mayfield’s presence on the field set to provide a spark that will set the tone early. Tampa Bay looked largely encouraging in their preseason debut, even if some of their opportunities were self-inflicted due to mistakes by the Jets.
But I am backing the game total to go over 36.5 points. Expect Mayfield and the starters to get off to a strong scoring start for a Tampa Bay team that put up 24 points on the board in their preseason opener. Browning will provide a high floor as he gets settled in the Buccaneers’ system, with 17 appearances and 10 starts across his NFL career. Beyond that, both undrafted quarterbacks showed flashes, with Daniels’ dual-threat ability especially dynamic in this type of setting. With the lack of chemistry and unclear depth chart a frequent cause of miscommunication, expect Daniels to lean on his legs to punish this if the opportunity presents itself.
On the other side of the matchup. Fields’ ability on the ground provides a similar opportunity. While the Chiefs couldn’t find the end zone, they put up a respectable 314 total yards of offense and took three trips to the red zone. Their 125 rushing yards are especially encouraging, and expect Kansas City to lean on the ground attack again. Andy Reid is one of the best offensive minds in football, and expect him to have a better feel for his quarterback rotation in their second game under his tenure. Expect more success in the red zone as each player gets more comfortable in this system and pulls their weight in the scoring category.
Count on each of these teams providing more of an offensive punch in this matchup than should be expected across most of the league. Both sides are leaning on their starters and key players more than most teams, and expect this to show up in the scoring total. Expect the 36.5-point game total to be too low, and don’t be shocked if both sides eclipse 20 points.
