Who’s playing Monday Night Football? Games, start time for week 9

On November 5, 2024By Littum

NFL fans will be treated to a Super Bowl 55 rematch on “Monday Night Football” in Week 9.

The Kansas City Chiefs will play Tampa Bay Buccaneers for just the second time since Tom Brady and Co. crushed them 31-9 in the big game.

Of course, the Buccaneers are no longer led by Brady, who is now a color commentator for Fox’s NFL coverage. Baker Mayfield is in charge of their offense and hopes to lead the team to the postseason for the third straight year under Todd Bowles.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs are the NFL’s last remaining undefeated team despite numerous offensive injuries. Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown and Isiah Pacheco remain out, but Andy Reid’s team has found a way to keep winning as it pursues an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat.

Here’s what you need to know for tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game:

Who is playing Monday Night Football tonight?

The Chiefs (7-0) host the Buccaneers (4-4) at “Monday night football“in Week 9.

The Chiefs stand as the NFL’s only remaining undefeated team, but they haven’t been quite as sharp offensively as fans are used to.

Patrick Mahomes is on pace for the best completion percentage of his career (68.4 percent), but is also on pace for a career-high in interceptions. He entered Week 9 tied for the league lead in interceptions with nine in just seven games. He has yet to go a game without an interception, so he will look to avoid mistakes against a porous Buccaneers defense.

Kansas City’s receivers have a good matchup against a Tampa Bay secondary, allowing 255.4 passing yards per game, fourth most in the NFL. Travis Kelce has bounced back from a slow start to the season and should continue to be Mahomes’ No. 1 weapon, while DeAndre Hopkins will look to improve on his two-catch, 29-yard debut with the Chiefs.

As usual, the Chiefs will rely on Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, which ranks fifth in the league in points and yards allowed this season.

The Buccaneers are no cakewalk for the Chiefs defense, as Tampa Bay ranks fourth in scoring (29.4 points per game) and yards (389.5 per game) in the NFL. Baker Mayfield is to thank for much of it, but the Buccaneers will be undermanned offensively without it Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans (hoarding) available to the game.

That means Mayfield will continue to rely on the tight end Cade Otton as his No. 1 target. Otherwise, he’ll spread the ball around and rely on his team’s backfield-by-committee approach to keep the offense moving.

The Buccaneers need a win to avoid falling too far behind in the NFC South race. They entered Week 9 a game behind the Falcons in the standings, but their deficit is more akin to a two-game deficit since Atlanta swept the season series against them.

What time is the NFL game tonight?

Date: Monday, Nov. 4
Time: 8:15 PM ET

There is only one “Monday Night Football” game in Week 9, which begins at the same time as usual: 8:15 PM ET.

ESPN’s Joe Buck (play-by-play) and Troy Aikman (color commentary) will be on call for the game. Lisa Salters returned to her sideline reporter role in Week 8 after a brief absence and is expected to be in action in Week 9 as well.

Pre- and post-game analysis for “Monday Night Football” will take place in the ESPN studio with analysts Adam Schefter, Alex Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears and Jason Kelce.

What channel is Monday Night Football on tonight?

ESPN and ABC will carry “Monday Night Football” telecasts through the entire 2024 season.

Fans who prefer to stream soccer games can watch “MNF” with an ESPN+ subscription or with Fubo, which offers a seven-day free trial.

Stream Monday Night Football with a Fubo subscription

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