Fittingly, all of the zaniness of Week 9 wraps into a spot where we all realize the inevitability of this 2024 season.

No matter the statements made, the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs have yet to taste defeat, so you can't really favor anyone else to win this year's Super Bowl. Kansas City's football operation seems to be on a different plane of always finding a way to win behind Patrick Mahomes.

This would certainly be a stunning place for the "O" to go. The embattled Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 9.5-point underdogs on the road without their two best weapons. As a larger trend, Tampa's sizzling 3-1 start has fizzled to the brink of a losing record.

Using the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as a guide, here are the best bets for this week's Monday night game.

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Monday Night Football Betting Picks: Buccaneers at Chiefs

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

Chiefs -9.5 (-110)
Chiefs -4.5 in First Half (-110)

As crazy as it sounds for an undefeated squad, the Chiefs are quite due for a massive win, and this embattled Bucs squad might be a place for it.

On offense, the Bucs are working uphill without both Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (leg). In his first game without them, Baker Mayfield posted just a 51.4% passing success rate with two interceptions and a fumble that wasn't lost.

Kansas City, 16th in numberFire's schedule-adjusted pass defense metrics entering Week 9, is an upgrade over the Atlanta Falcons (23rd). The overall picture gets even more difficult trying to establish any balance into K.C.'s fourth-ranked rush D.

However, I'm far more concerned about the Bucs' defense in this one. In the last four weeks, Tampa has been shredded for the seventh-most Offensive Net Expected Points (NEP) per play, and the Chiefs' attack surrounding Mahomes is finding its stride with the additions of Kareem Hunt and DeAndre Hopkins.

Facing stronger offenses, K.C. has clamped each of their past four foes to 15.3 points per game. Tampa has allowed 33.8 points per game over that time. The direction these teams are heading isn't toward tightening that margin, so I'll ladder the defending champions to control Monday's game from start to finish.

Buccaneers Under 17.5 Points (-116)

As mentioned, Kansas City's recent defensive efforts make this number seem quite appealing -- but they did surrendered 20 to the Las Vegas Raiders a week ago.

While a team total this low will never be free of drama, I still believe there's good reason to take it. In addition to a key number of 17, Tampa's situation could be even more dire than it was a week ago. Backup wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard are both questionable to even play through hamstring injuries.

We've also seen the bottom fall out of this Bucs squad against the two top-10 rush defenses they've faced. The Denver Broncos limited the Buccaneers to just 7 total points, and the bulk of Tampa Bay's 31 points against the Baltimore Ravens came in lopsided conditions late.

Asking Mayfield to drop back and throw 40 times against this secondary -- on the road -- seems like disaster that could spoil the full-game total in the other direction. Expecting the Chiefs to handily cover, I'll also back Tampa Bay to be held in the range of K.C.'s recent opponents.

Looking for the latest NFL odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the NFL betting options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

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