The Chiefs vs. the Bucs is only hours away now (long hours, for sure), and the Arrowhead can not be more ready… is what many would think, especially with the 7-0 perfect start. But hold your horses. Trouble’s brewing, and it comes wrapped in injury reports. And the 35-year-old Travis Kelce is left, yet again, to soldier on the offense—being the perfect mate to Patrick Mahomes off the field and on it.

Travis’ increase in load comes after his fellow TE Jared Wiley went down with a knee injury during Friday’s practice. And the hearsay is that it might be a serious one. When the news broke first, Andy Reid had not stood behind the podium on Saturday to explain what this meant for the squad, considering this was not the first.

Let’s not forget, this is the second tight end the Chiefs have lost this week after Jody Fortson tore his ACL against the Raiders. That came as a bummer, considering he was doing bits on his return (and he did not have it easy). Before the injury slid in, he hit three targets and one reception for 5 yards over three games. But that’s football. As for the Chiefs, well, it’s looking really tight in the tight-end room!

And that’s what makes Wiley’s injury look even worse. The 24-year-old had a chance, with Fortson out, to cover for Travis Kelce—one of the best TEs in the league. Instead, all eyes and ears were on Reid’s presser to know his update. And guess what? The HC broke the news that the young tight end tore his ACL.

Ah! Sh-t, here we go again! The famous GTA meme comes to mind in these situations. With that, we can say that this rules him out of the MNF clash. And it’s a no-brainer.

So, these injuries mean it all falls on the Chiefs #15 and #87, linking together how they do! But it should not be as big of a problem as it seems at first glance. Mahomes and Kelce have always had this unspoken connection—one that even makes defenders shake their heads.

Travis Kelce is the man on a mission

A couple of things made us write that. Hear me out. The defensive troubles that the Bucs have so glaringly displayed in the past weeks coupled with Travis Kelce slowly returning to his vintage form. And last (but not least), we’ve got Andy Reid, whose “power of friendship” mantra has worked wonders for this QB-TE duo.

As Chiefs safety Justin Reid said of Kelce, “He’ll sometimes change his route on the fly… just gets open. Him and ’15’ have that connection, and it is impossible to guard.” Honestly, this pair might be the closest thing we’ve seen to a Tom Brady – Rob Gronk chemistry since the Patriots’ glory days. In their time together, Kelce has racked up 7,638 yards and 54 touchdowns in 100 games with Mahomes. That’s more than just stats; it’s a testament to their in-sync playmaking. And it brews from their off-the-field tight-knit bond.

Now, let’s talk Bucs defense. The Falcons, Ravens, and Saints have all managed to expose gaps in the middle of the field. And tight ends? Yeah, they are the ones to have found some room to operate. If recent games are any hint, Tampa Bay might have their hands full trying to contain Travis.

The Bucs are allowing the third-most receiving yards to tight ends this season, and Kelce’s 103.8 yards per game against them doesn’t make that job easier. So, that night will be all about stopping No. 87 because there’s no one else left for them to lay out game plans for. If Kelce gets rolling, Tampa’s D might be left gasping for air. And sitting at 4-4, they cannot afford to slip up any further.

What do you think? Are you hedging your bets for another Travis masterclass like we saw in Las Vegas in week 8?