Winners, losers as Chiefs stay unbeaten with 30-24 win vs. Buccaneers

The Kansas City Chiefs just keep on winning.

Kansas City moved to 8-0 on the season, the only unbeaten team left, after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 at home in overtime on Monday Night Football to close Week 9.

The Chiefs trailed 17-10 in the second half, but predictably rallied to take a 24-17 lead late. However, Baker Mayfield sparked a last-minute drive to tie the game and send it to overtime.

But Patrick Mahomes and Co. won the coin toss and received the ball, never letting Mayfield get a shot after Kareem Hunt scored the winning touchdown.

Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers:

WINNER: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Mahomes strangely has been far from elite this season, but it hasn’t mattered with Kansas City winning regardless. But the star signal caller turned in his best game of the season, completing 34 of 44 passes for 291 yards, three touchdowns and no picks.

Mahomes did suffer a non-contact ankle injury, but returned just fine to lead the comeback charge and, eventually, the win.

LOSER: Bucs’ valiant effort not enough

Tampa Bay entered the game with low expectations to pull off the upset without star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. However, the Buccaneers gave Kansas City all it could handle, taking them to overtime despite not getting a chance at equalizing once more.

Baker Mayfield completed 23 of 31 passes for 200 yards, two touchdowns and no picks, with tight end Cate Otton and Sterling Shepard stepping up as receiving options.

Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey had two sacks each defensively, while Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr. got involved often, too. But the collective effort fell short.

WINNER: DeAndre Hopkins, Chiefs

Hopkins’ second game went much better than the first.

After just two catches for 29 yards last time out against the Las Vegas Raiders, Hopkins logged eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns against Tampa Bay.

Hopkins once again displayed his pass-catching abilities and why quarterbacks trust him as a WR1. He’ll likely carry on as an elite option for Mahomes.

LOSER: Bucs’ run game

Whereas Tampa Bay’s defense gave the team a platform and Mayfield took care of the football, the run game left a lot to be desired.

Out of five players who recorded a rushing attempt, none accumulated more than 24 yards, which was Bucky Irving on only seven carries. Rachaad White probably deserved more carries after logging 19 yards on three attempts and a touchdown.

Kansas City deploys one of the league’s best rush defenses, though, and that was no different in this one.