Chris Jones vs. Tom Brady is just one of a few key matchups to watch on Sunday Night Football in Week 4.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in very similar situations entering their Sunday Night Football clash at Raymond James Stadium. Both teams started 2-0 before losing last week. Both teams’ offenses are in an identity crisis. Playing in the Super Bowl just 20 months ago adds a dramatic element to the game, but each team has an evolved identity (and in Tampa’s case, a new head coach, Todd Bowles). Here are three key matchups to watch in tonight’s game.
Shaq Barrett vs Orlando Brown, Jr.
Brown, the Chiefs’ “franchise player” at left tackle, placed a massive bet on himself by not signing to the $139 million deal (and $30 million signing bonus) that the Chiefs offered him in July. After the way September went, Brown will need to turn his season around very quickly in order to come anywhere near that offer ever again. So far, Brown’s PFF grade is 13 points lower than his 2021 grade.
Barrett, the Buccaneers two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher, had some brash words of confidence this week in preparation for the Chiefs. “I really don’t think it’s too much of a difference, I think we have a lot of favorable matchups,” Barrett said. “I think we really have an opportunity to dominate the game. I think we’ve got an opportunity to really impose our will as pass-rushers, as edge rushers in this game. We can really have like a coming out party. I know we had six sacks the other game, but we can really have a coming-out party as edge defenders in the position group for this game.”
The Chiefs have been blitzed a lot more in 2022 (31%) than anyone expected, but keep close watch on Barrett and Brown when the Chiefs have the ball.
Chris Jones vs Tom Brady
This one goes back a ways. The rivalry between Jones and Brady goes back long before the latter joined the Buccaneers in 2020. And in an odd way, each player has a hand in an after-the-play incident that resulted in their team’s loss in Week 3.
Jones, the Chiefs’ All Pro defensive tackle, has had several well-publicized run-ins with Brady after the whistle in the past, and that trait reared its ugly head last week once again in an atrocious unsportsmanlike penalty that ultimately cost the Chiefs the game against the Colts. Say what you will about the offense or the special teams, but the fact is Kansas City was up by 4 and about to receive a punt with just 4 minutes left in the game.
Brady is no stranger to verbal showdowns, even in his old age. His most recent run-in from Week 2 resulted in teammate Mike Evans’ 1-game suspension (served last week, and the Bucs lost to Green Bay). In that altercation, Brady can clearly be seen shouting obscenities at New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Brady will most certainly be fishing for Jones tomorrow night, as Jones expects to be muzzled.
Oh, the actual football part? Expect Jones to get lots of opportunities to be in the same camera shot as Brady, as he will likely be extremely active against Tampa Bay. The Bucs’ offensive line has struggled to protect Brady due to multiple injuries.
Travis Kelce vs Devin White
White, the Bucs’ cocky fourth-year linebacker, had much to say after the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl win over the Chiefs, and let’s just say he was not complimentary of Kansas City’s pass catchers. “I know everybody praising – ‘Oh, Travis Kelce had 133′,” taunted the 6-foot, 237-pound White in February of 2021. “But all of that came at the end of the game when it was already over. We were sitting back in the zone playing soft.”
The Chiefs’ revamped passing offense sputtered in Week 3 against the Colts, and nothing would help Mahomes and his wide receivers more than if Kelce can make his presence known in the middle of the Tampa Bay defense. The Bucs have allowed just 46 yards per game to opponents’ starting tight ends, but they haven’t faced anyone near the caliber of Kelce. Dalton Schultz, Juwan Johnson, and Robert Tonyan aren’t winning anyone’s fantasy leagues. By forcing Tampa Bay to pay more attention to Kelce, Mahomes should have more opportunities downfield.