Arrowhead Stadium, home to the Kansas City Chiefs, has built a reputation as one of the loudest, and most difficult, places to play in the NFL. So far this season, the Chiefs have drawn an average crowd of 73,335 fans at each home game, the ninth-most in the league. They entered Week 11 having won 17 of their last 19 games at home and riding a 10-game win streak at home, the longest in the NFL. The fans were certainly loud when Tampa Bay arrived in town, but their message might have been misguided.
WATCH: BUCS VS. CHIEFS HIGHLIGHTS
The Chiefs' tomahawk chant on Sunday is the same one used by Florida State, where Jameis Winston played in college. So when third down came and the stadium grew louder, Winston felt right at home.
"The crowd noise was amazing," Winston said after the Bucs' 19-17 victory. "Every third down they did the 'Nole chant. I was so pumped up, it really made me feel at home. I love playing here. Any time I get a chance to hit a 'Noles chant… I was even doing it with the fans at the beginning of the game."
On third down was when Winston and the Buccaneers were particularly successful. Tampa Bay converted on 69 percent of their third-down attempts, going 11 of 16. As Tampa Bay Times writer Greg Auman noted, that was the Bucs' second-highest third-down conversion percentage in the past 17 years.
Winston finished the game with 331 passing yards, marking the second game in a row where he's passed the 300-yard mark. Winston has thrown just one interception in the past four weeks, despite playing a Kansas City squad that is the NFL's best at picking off opposing quarterbacks.
A team that was carried by a dominant rushing attack a year ago, the Buccaneers had 19 passing first downs as opposed to five on the ground.
If Kansas City didn't remind him, Florida State would have been on Winston's mind anyway. He dedicated his standout performance to his former athletic director, who passed away hours before kickoff.
"Speaking about 'Noles, I really dedicate this game to Monk Bonasorte, he passed away," Winston said. "He was the [Senior Associate] Athletic Director at Florida State. He passed away between 1-2 a.m. this morning, he really meant a lot to me. If the Bonasorte family is listening, thank you and I love you."
Winston and the Bucs will return to Raymond James Stadium this week with a 5-5 record and in the thick of the race for the NFC South title.
