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Who plays on Monday Night Football? Game, start time for week 9

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Who plays on Monday Night Football? Game, start time for week 9

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

The Kansas City Chiefs are playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the second time since Tom Brady and Co. beat 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 the offense and hopes to lead the team to the postseason for the third straight year under the leadership of Todd Bowles.

Despite numerous offensive injuries, the Chiefs are now the last undefeated team in the NFL. Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown and Isiah Pacheco remain out, but Andy Reid's team has found a way to keep winning as they seek an unprecedented three-peat in the Super Bowl.

Here's what you need to know for tonight's Monday Night Football game:

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Who's playing on Monday Night Football tonight?

The Chiefs (7-0) host the Buccaneers (4-4) in Week 9 on “Monday Night Football.”

The Chiefs are the only undefeated team in the NFL, but they haven't been quite as strong offensively as fans are used to.

Patrick Mahomes is on pace to post a career-best completion percentage (68.4 percent), but is also on pace for a career-high in interceptions. He entered Week 9 leading the league with nine interceptions 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 are having a good game 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 catches, 29 yards 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 walk in the park for the Chiefs' defense, as Tampa Bay ranks fourth in the NFL in scoring (29.4 points per game) and yards (389.5 per game). Much of that is thanks to Baker Mayfield, but the Buccaneers will be shorthanded offensively without Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans (hamstring) available for the game.

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

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

What time is the NFL game tonight?

  • Date: Monday, November 4th
  • Time: 8:15 p.m. ET

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

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

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

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What channel is Monday Night Football on tonight?

ESPN and ABC will carry “Monday Night Football” broadcasts throughout the 2024 season.

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

Stream Monday Night Football with a Fubo subscription

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