Chiefs’ red-zone woes doom them in 19-17 loss to Buccaneers

Many of Tampa Bay’s key stats paint the picture of what the Bucs are – a team with a.500 record that has been outscored by 24 points for the season. I like the Chiefs to score early and force the Bucs to have to throw early and often, which will lead to some garbage points in the second half.

Coach: Dirk Koetter (5-5 in first season with the Bucs and as an National Football League head coach). “We also recognize every individual’s constitutional right to freedom of speech, which is crucial to the American principles we cherish”.

Smith was 23 of 30 passing for 268 yards in another inconsistent performance.

CHIEFS Smith still has an impressive 6-1 TD-INT ratio in past 5 games vs. NFC teams after 0-1 TD-INT effort vs. Panthers in Week 10. That allowed the Bucs to control the clock for more than 35 minutes and dictate the game’s pace and direction all afternoon. I stepped in the huddle and said, ‘Guys, just calm down. He was thoroughly outplayed by Tampa Bay counterpart Jameis Winston, who threw for 331 yards and a touchdown and was in command late.

The Chiefs were required to cover for long periods of time on many of Winston’s passes because the pass rush generated little in the way of consistent pressure.

“When I saw that number, I couldn’t believe it”, Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter said.

EYES ON PETERS: Quarterbacks have avoided Peters after he piled up five interceptions in the first five games. The pass rusher played in his first game of the 2016 campaign, finishing with two tackles and one for a loss.

Tampa Bay is home next week against Seattle. A nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame last winter, Lynch played for the Bucs 1993 to 2003 and the Denver Broncos from 2004 to 2007. Evans is already tied for fourth in team history in total 100-yard receiving games and would need just five more to take over the all-time lead. Winston is two touchdowns away from matching his career-high with six games still to go.

The Chiefs scored a touchdown with Smith on the field for the first time this month and had a couple of good drives, but their offense wasn’t close to being good enough to replicate the Bucs’ success in moving the ball. Taking over with 2:37 to play, Tampa Bay gave the ball back with only eight seconds to play.

Since this time past year, they were 17-2 overall in regular-season games prior to Sunday, a won-loss record that was three games better than the next most successful team in the league. Bucs C Joe Hawley left with a knee injury in the second quarter and did not return. Falcons CB Desmond Trufant left with a shoulder injury in the first half and did not return. One of the biggest reasons the Bucs maintained success for the whole game was an incredible third down conversion rate.