Here’s how the KC Chiefs distributed playing time in Week 4’s win over the Buccaneers

The Chiefs weren’t about to be bullied by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense on Sunday Night Football.

Kansas City used all three phases of the game to push around Tampa Bay en route to a convincing 41-31 win, which improved the Chiefs to 3-1.

“I thought all three phases contributed to the win,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday. “It was a good game for that and normally if you can get all three going, then you’re going to have some success.”

The Chiefs’ offense totaled 417 yards and converted an incredible 12 of 17 third-down attempts (70%). The 41 points scored also came against a Tampa Bay defense that had previously allowed just 9 points per game.

Defensively, the Chiefs shut down Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette, who finished with -3 yards gained on three carries.

On special teams, the Chiefs made good in the kicking game, with no misses, and the coverage team forced a fumble on the game’s opening play.

A total team win, indeed.

Here’s how the Chiefs’ snap counts worked out Sunday night:

QUARTERBACKS: Patrick Mahomes (80), Chad Henne (did not play)

Mahomes was magnificent, completing 23 of 37 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns with an interception for a 97.7 passer rating, adding 34 yards rushing on four carries. He also had multiple highlight-worthy throws, including a spinning move inside the 5-yard line for a touchdown.

The Chiefs’ star quarterback now owns 20,068 career yards passing, which he accomplished in 67 games to establish a new NFL record. Current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford previously held the mark at 71 games.

RUNNING BACKS: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (45), Jerick McKinnon (18, 6 on special teams), Isiah Pacheco (17, 13 on ST), fullback Michael Burton (7, 15 on ST)

The Chiefs’ running game destroyed the Buccaneers’ run defense, which entered the game ranked fifth in the league (79.3 yards allowed per game). When the game clock expired, the Chiefs amassed 189 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt.

Edwards-Helaire led the charge with 92 yards rushing and a touchdown, adding another touchdown on a catch.

Pacheco contributed 63 yards rushing on 11 carries, and three kickoff returns for 91 yards.

Kansas City’s ability to run the football allowed the Chiefs to command the time of possession in the game by a wide margin (38:48-21:22).

WIDE RECEIVERS: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (55), JuJu Smith-Schuster (50), Mecole Hardman (37), Skyy Moore (22, 4 on ST), Justin Watson (14, 1 on ST)

Valdes-Scantling paced the position group with 63 yards receiving on three catches, averaging a healthy 21 yards per reception. Smith-Schuster chipped in with five catches for 46 yards on eight targets.

Moore logged a season-high 22 snaps on offense and hualed in two catches for 31 yards. The rookie also had a punt return for 12 yards.

Hardman, who has been dealing with a heel injury this season, recorded a second straight game where he was targeted once. He made the catch for a 4-yard gain.

Watson didn’t record a catch on his one target in the game.

TIGHT ENDS: Travis Kelce (65), Noah Gray (46, 17 on ST), Jody Fortson (23, 17 on ST)

Kelce totaled nine catches for 92 yards on a team-high 10 targets. The three-time All-Pro tight end now owns 9,328 career yards receiving, which passed Rob Gronkowski (9,286) for the fifth-most career receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history.

Gray saw plenty of action in the Chiefs’ 12-personnel packages, and the second-year pro’s 46 snaps were the second-most in his career. Gray recorded a 1-yard rushing touchdown, which came on a direct snap under center at the goal line.

Fortson scored a touchdown on a 10-yard slant. He now owns four career touchdowns on seven catches.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Joe Thuney (80), Creed Humphrey (80, 7 on ST), Orlando Brown Jr. (80, 7 on ST), Andrew Wylie (80, 7 on ST), Trey Smith (79, 7 on ST), Nick Allegretti (2, 7 on ST), Prince Tega Wanogho (7 on ST), Geron Christian (7 on ST)

When the running game is going off, full credit falls on the offensive line.

“We all know it starts with the big guys up front and that was something Coach (Andy) Reid started the week off this week,” Edwards-Helaire said after the game. “Just challenging those guys and we all know how it all unfolds.”

Did it ever. With the front five gouging the Buccaneers’ defensive front, the Chiefs ran rough shod all over the field.

The protection ultimately allowed three sacks in the game, but for the most part neutralized Tampa Bay’s formidable pass rush to give Mahomes time to pick apart the pass defense.

“They accepted the challenge,” Mahomes said of the offensive line. “They made our team roll today. That’s a great defense, great defensive line, and I think they heard the talking, not only from them but from everybody about how they didn’t play well the last week.

“They accepted that challenge and they went out there, and when they dominate like that, it makes my job a lot easier.”

DEFENSIVE LINE: Chris Jones (58), Frank Clark (56), Tershawn Wharton (42, 5 on ST), George Karlaftis (39, 5 on ST), Carlos Dunlap (28), Khalen Saunders (19, 5 on offense), Derrick Nnadi (15, 5 on ST), Malik Herring (7)

The front four helped turn the Buccaneers into a one-dimensional offense, allowing just 3 total yards on six carries. Tampa Bay’s 3 yards rushing were the fewest yards rushing allowed by the Chiefs defense in a single game in team history.

Wharton recorded two quarterback hits, while Jones had a quarterback hit. Nnadi, Karlaftis and Wharton each produced two tackles in the game.

LINEBACKERS: Nick Bolton (64, 5 on ST), Darius Harris (21, 6 on ST), Leo Chenal (4, 4 on ST), Elijah Lee (23 on ST), Jack Cochrane (17 on ST)

Bolton paced the position group with eight tackles, which included a tackle for a loss. The second-year pro was the only linebacker to record a tackle on defense.

Lee and Cochrane each recorded a tackle on special teams, and Lee recovered a Buccaneers fumble on the opening kickoff. The turnover resulted in the Chiefs’ first score of the game.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: L’Jarius Sneed (64, 3 on ST), Juan Thornhill (64), Rashad Fenton (60), Justin Reid (58, 4 on ST), Jaylen Watson (56, 5 on ST), Bryan Cook (47, 19 on ST), Deon Bush (2, 23 on ST), Chris Lammons (23 on ST), Joshua Williams (17 on ST), Nazeeh Johnson (8 on ST)

For a second straight game, Sneed recorded a strip-sack, which included an acting job at the line of scrimmage to throw off Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. Sneed totaled a team-high nine tackles.

Fenton (6) and Watson (5) combined to total 11 tackles, and each cornerback tallied a pass defensed.

Reid was evaluated for a concussion shortly before halftime but was cleared to return in the second half. He finished the game with five tackles.

Cook recorded a career-high 47 defensive snaps and contributed five tackles, a quarterback hit and a pass defensed.

Lammons recorded a forced fumble on special teams and an assist.

SPECIALISTS: Matthew Wright (15), James Winchester (8), Tommy Townsend (8)

Wright filled in at the kicker position and proved steady with five extra points and two field goals, including one from 44 yards.

Townsend wasn’t needed much because the offense was rolling, but he recorded a punt for 43 yards.

INACTIVES: Kicker Harrison Butker (left ankle sprain), defensive end Mike Danna (calf), running back Ronald Jones, quarterback Shane Buechele, offensive lineman Darian Kinnard, defensive end Joshua Kaindoh, defensive end Benton Whitley