Buccaneers: Way-too-early matchup preview for Chiefs in 2020
By Rob Leeds
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hosting the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at home in 2020. Here’s a look ahead at that matchup.
The 2019 schedule for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was rough and 2020 shows no signs of slowing down. While the Buccaneers will hopefully be saved from a long stretch of road games, there is no saving them from Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mahomes’ talent is enough to make any defensive player in the league nervous. His arm strength and accuracy are second to none and he has even begun to use his legs more, making him far more dangerous.
Patrick Mahomes has stayed at an extremely high level after winning the league MVP last season and no sophomore slump (even though it was technically his third season in the league) was going to slow him down.
More from The Pewter Plank
- Devin White posts cryptic message to Lavonte David on Twitter
- ESPN predicts surprising outcome to Devin White trade saga
- Updated Buccaneers depth chart after signing two players from rookie minicamp
- Todd Bowles sends clear message about Baker Mayfield’s role with Bucs
- The Athletic is wrong about Bucs one ‘must-watch’ game in 2023
While the Bucs are on vacation right now, Todd Bowles has already likely started to think up ways to make Patrick Mahomes uncomfortable, which is an extremely tall task.
Mahomes and Tyreek Hill will likely be incredibly hard for the Buccaneer secondary to contain no matter how much they improve this offseason. None of the Buccaneer corners and safeties have the speed to keep up with Hill, much less Mecole Hardman or Sammy Watkins if he is still on the team.
While the Buccaneers will be facing an uphill battle on defense, their offense still has the ability to move the ball against any team in the league.
The offense in Tampa Bay will be looking to pick up right where it left off, perhaps minus a few total interceptions. The Bucs are primed to take several steps forward in their second year under Bruce Arians and with some players getting healthier.
While many fans question Jameis Winston, he is an interesting comparison to Patrick Mahomes without the interceptions. Both have the ability to move outside of the pocket, both can spread the ball out around the field, and both can improvise as well as anyone.
The Buccaneers will certainly be worrying about the Chiefs’ offense, but the Chiefs will have to do the same for the Bucs if they want to avoid a Super Bowl hangover.
While the Bucs are taking many steps in the right direction and the game will be played in Raymond James, this will be a tough battle. The Buccaneers may be at a disadvantage, but the Chiefs could lose out on some key players to free agency. It also needs to be remembered that the Buccaneers beat a Super Bowl team from the year prior in 2019, the L.A. Rams.
Next. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 10 keys to a successful 2020 offseason. dark
While the odds may be long, they are not impossible, no matter how talented the opposing team may be. Patrick Mahomes may be the best quarterback in the league at the moment, but everyone always wants a piece of the champion.