Final thoughts
The Kansas City Chiefs had a good shot today, but the New England Patriots did what they had to do with the lead to hold on for a win. It came down to the last few minutes, which is all you can really hope for in a playoff game. We’ll, that will do it from me, but you should now jump over to David Lengel’s liveblog of the Green Bay Packers vs the Arizona Cardinals, which is set to start in around 15 minutes. Thanks to everybody for reading this liveblog, especially those who contributed. Ciao!
Patriots win!
Chiefs 20-27 Patriots, FINAL
And that’ll do it. The New England Patriots are heading off the AFC Championship Game!
Chiefs 20-27 Patriots, :59, 4th quarter
The Chiefs do have three timeouts here. Jackson gets stuffed for a yards here. 2nd & 11, Brady’s throw is tipped, but Edelman is able to pick it on the deflection. Could have been disaster for the Patriots, there.
And the Patriots go into victory formation.
Onside kick (Patriots recover)
Chiefs 20-27 Patriots, 1:13, 4th quarter
And there’s going to be an onside kick here, and Gostkowski has it! Patriots ball!
Touchdown! (Chiefs)
Chiefs 20-27 Patriots, 1:13, 4th quarter
FALSE START ON KANSAS CITY!
Andy Reid clock management will kill the Chiefs.
2nd & 2 at the Patriots 7 now. Avant picks up 4 yards, that would have gotten him in the endzone. Penalty on New England on the next drive gives them a new set of downs but what they really need is more time.
1st & 1, Smith throws incomplete. On second down, they FINALLY get the touchdown when West runs it in. The extra point is good.
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 2:00, 4th quarter
Smith picks up 6 yards with his legs. Smith throws to Wilson, who evades Malcolm Butler and gets to the one yard line. ast and goal to go. The Patriots defense stuffs West for a one yard loss. And we’re at the two minute warning. This feels a bit too late on the part of Kansas City.
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 3:30, 4th quarter
Smith scrambles, is pushed out by the New England 38 yard line. 2nd & 1, West runs for 6 yards. 1st & 10 at the New England 32, things are getting interesting here. Smith picks up 6 yards and that’s when New England takes their second time out.
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 4:42, 4th quarter
Chiefs at their own 38. Smith throws incomplete. Smith throws to Conley for 2 yards. Smith is incomplete again.
Fourth down, they’re going for it. Smith finds Avant again. AVANT MAKES ANOTHER CRAZY CATCH! 14 yards gain! The Chiefs season is still alive!
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 5:21, 4th quarter
Smith scrambles for two yards. 2nd & 8, Smith throws incomplete. 3rd & 8, here’s where Smith has been dangerous this game, he throws to Conley fora gain of 16 yards.
Chiefs fans are not optimistic:
@HunterFelt not for 1st time, see Pats wake up for serious shit. Unlike me, am ready for bed as soon as they put it away #zzzz
— Rory Murphy (@Rory_Tealeaf) January 17, 2016
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 6:29, 4th quarter
And the Patriots go 3 & out at ensuring possession. Way to run the clock guys. The punting unit comes out, and the resulting punt goes for a touchback.
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 6:51, 4th quarter
Football, a game now played in slow motion. (And yes, it was a fumble). @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) January 17, 2016
Well the officials declare it, they call it incomplete. And on the next play, Hammond makes an interception but that gets overturned, which is a GOOD thing for the Patriots, because as a turnover-on-downs it puts them at the 49 yard line. So it works out for them?
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 7:45, 4th quarter
The Chiefs start at their own 20 after a touchback. Smith hands it off to West, who runs 9 yards. 2nd & 1, Smith’s pass to Kelce doesn’t quite get them any further. Smith throws to Wilson, and this time they get the first down, a full 8 yards.
They’re going no huddle here, Smith to Wilson gets to their own 49 yard line. On first down, Kansas City are running the ball? West gets nowhere. Smith throws incomplete. 3rd & 10, Devin McCourty brings down Conley in the process of catching the ball. Belichick throws the flag, saying that this was fumble. Play review time!
Updated
Field goal (Patriots)
Chiefs 13-27 Patriots, 10:24, 4th quarter
Jackson gets 2 yards. Brady throws to Gronk for 2 yards. 3rd & 6, Brady’s throw is nearly picked off, Edelman is looking for a flag, but there’s none. Chiefs hold them to another field goal. But that’s 3 more points and more time off the clock.
Chiefs 13-24 Patriots, 12:26, 4th quarter
Aaand it’s a short punt too, a 42 yarder that Amendola takes to the Chiefs 32. On the next possession, Brady hits Martin for a 15 yard gain. They’re close to putting this close to away.
Chiefs 13-24 Patriots, 12:39, 4th quarter
Smith hands off to West for no gain. Then Smith throws to Conley, who can get no gain. Chandler Jones sacks Smith for a loss of three yards. On 4th down, the Chiefs get hit with a delay of game penalty.
Okay, this? This is all bad news for the Chiefs.
Chiefs 13-24 Patriots, 14:49, 4th quarter
That drive isn’t too bad for Kansas City: they held them to a field goal and the Patriots didn’t eat away much of the clock. They will start at their 40 after a touchback.
Field goal! (Patriots)
Chiefs 13-24 Patriots, 14:49, 4th quarter
1st & 10, and Brady ALMOST throws an interception. That was close to a killer there for New England. 2nd & 10, incomplete to Martin. It’s 3rd &10 already, and the Chiefs would be okay with just a field goal attempt here you’d think.
Which is what the Patriots will have to do after Brady’s third throw is also finds only ground. Gostkowski comes in and makes a 40 yard field goal.
Chiefs 13-21 Patriots, end of the 3rd quarter
Brady throws to Edelman for 9 yards. And then, they’re going no huddle here, Brady passes to James White who zooms off. That’s a 29 yard line gain!
White somehow gets 5 yards on the next play, to the Chiefs’ no 36. There Brady throws to Edelman who takes it all the way to the Kansas City 22 where the Patriots will be when the 4th quarter begins.
Updated
Chiefs 13-21 Patriots, 2:12, 3rd quarter
What a huge play that throw to Avant was, that basically has kept this a game.
Martin receives the Chiefs’ kickoff to the Patriots 21.
Touchdown (Chiefs)
Chiefs 13-21 Patriots, 2:17, 3rd quarter
Chiefs at the New England 10. They have a new set of downs, but only need one, Smith throws to Wilson for a touchdown! The extra point is good! And like that, Kansas City is back in this!
Updated
Chiefs 6-21 Patriots, 2:45, 3rd quarter
On 2nd & 6, West picks up 3 yards. 3rd & 3, Smith takes it himself, picking up 7 yards and a first down. 1st & 10. West gets stuffed for a loss of one yard. He then finds Albert Wilson, who gets them close to a first down. 3rd & 3, Smith’s pass is incomplete.
The Chiefs have to go for it on fourth down. There’s a hands-in-the-face call on the Patriots which awards the Chiefs an automatic first down.
Chiefs 6-21 Patriots, 6:05, 3rd quarter
Chiefs at their own 49. Davis picks up 2 yards. Smith throws to Kelce, who is putshed out of bounds at the 36. 1st & 10, Davis picks up an additional 4 yards. The best Kansas City drive of the game, coming at when they really needed it.
Chiefs 6-21 Patriots, 7:39, 3rd quarter
Smith’s 1st down throw is incomplete. He hands it to West on the next possession, it’s a pickup of 3 yards. 3rd & 7. The Patriots get to Smith who throws to a covered Jason Avant... WHO SOMEHOW MAKES THE CATCH! A 26 yard pickup for the Chiefs!
Updated
Chiefs 6-21 Patriots, 8:24, 3rd quarter
Okay. Here’s where things get dicey for the Chiefs. Their game is all about piecing togeter and extending drives. Smith doesn’t have the deep ball, at least not reliably. This is not a good recipe for playing behind late.
Davis muffs the Patriots punt for a touchback. The Chiefs will start from their 20.
Chiefs 6-21 Patriots, 8:24, 3rd quarter
Short pass to White, who gets them 10 yards. The Patriots are at the 16 yard line. The very next play, Brady finds Gronk in the endzone and, well, you know how that tends to go.
It’s a touchdown for New England, and the extra point is good.
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, 9:34, 3rd quarter
Brady hands to Edelman who picks up 11 yards. The Patriots are at the Kansas City 40. Brady throws to Edelman for 14 yards, making the catch... just in bounds. New England at the Kansas City 26.
Fumble stands (recovered by Patriots)
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, 10:31, 3rd quarter
The officials say the call stands. Patriots will start at their own 31 yard line here. Brady throws to Gronk, who gets the ball all the way to their own 49.
Fumble?
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, 10:31, 3rd quarter
West runs 2 yards... but takes himself off the field, apparently hurt. Davis gets the ball next drive and he... fumbles! Recovered by the Patriots, it seems. Don’te Hightower seems to have it, but, of course, all turnovers go under review.
Updated
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, 11:50, 3rd quarter
Holding penalty on the Chiefs pushes them back to the 27. 1st & 20, Smith throws to Conley. 10 yard gain. 2nd & 10, a holding call, this time on the defense.
That’s an automatic first down for Kansas City at their own 42. Knile Davis run five yards. Kansas City at their 42. This is how the Chiefs do it.
Davis then picks up 11 yards. 1st down, now they’re in Patriots territory, the 42 yard line.
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, 14:13, 3rd quarter
Smith takes it himself for no gain. 2nd & 10. Smith throws it away on the next down. 3rd & 10. Patriots blitz, Smith throws to Maclin... who catches it at the 37!
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, 15:00, 3rd quarter
Davis returns the opening kick for Kansas City and takes it to the KC 25.
The hit itself
Amendola lays out Fleming pic.twitter.com/UBBOF4UlrF
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) January 16, 2016
The worst part of the first half was Amendola’s ugly and unnecessary hit. Clearly not what the league wanted to see after the ugliness of everything that went on in the Bengals/Steelers game. Would not be surprised to learn that a suspension was coming for that.
Your thoughts on the game so far? Tweet them to @HunterFelt or email them to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com.
@HunterFelt HT analysis - well I'm happy. 2 TD, denied KC TD, feeling pretty good for the 2nd half
— Rory Murphy (@Rory_Tealeaf) January 16, 2016
Patriots fans have to be fairly happy here, but the Chiefs are absolutely in this here. Their ability to keep drives going seems to give the Pats defense fits at times, just not at the crucial times so far this game. So far.
Halftime!
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, end of the 2nd quarter
Santos kick goes into the endzone for a touchback. Brady just takes the knee. That will do it for the first half.
Updated
Field goal (Chiefs)
Chiefs 6-14 Patriots, :16, 2nd quarter
Smith throws on third down and it’s nowhere near nobody. The Patriots hold the Chiefs to a field goal attempt, pretty much the best case scenario here. Santos’s kick is good.
Chiefs 3-14 Patriots, :21, 2nd quarter
Needless to say, a key moment here for both teams. Wow that was really terrible analysis. Let me just wait to see what happens.
What happens is Smith drives for a first down, he’s at the New England 8. He then spikes it to stop the clock. 2nd & goal, Smith throws incomplete. 3rd & goal... there’s a delay of game penalty that pushes them back to the 14 yard line. Big big mistake.
Patriots call a 30 second timeout.
Chiefs 3-14 Patriots, :40, 2nd quarter
Smith throws.... and Jason Avant makes the catch. That’s a 26 yard gain and the Chiefs are at the 20. Knile Davis picks up 3 yards. Smith passes to Kelce who gets it, a yard shy of the first down on the New England 11.
Chiefs take their final timeout.
Chiefs 3-14 Patriots, 2:00, 2nd quarter
Let’s see how Smith handles things with not much time on the clock. Well, he hands off to West who barrels ahead into the Patriots 49 yard line.
Alex Smith throws deep on 1st & 10. 2nd & 10, West runs for three yards. 3rd & 7 on the New England 26 and...
Wow, the 2 minute warning already? This first half is going fast.
Chiefs 3-14 Patriots, 3:16, 2nd quarter
Gostkowski’s kickoff is... a touchback. Except it isn’t, because there’s a penalty so he has to kick it off.
It’s offsides against New England, which pushes Gostkowski to the 30. He drives it into the end zone, where Davis carries it to the Chiefs 33 yards line, that’s an extra 13 yards for Kansas City.
Chiefs 3-14 Patriots, 3:23, 2nd quarter
We almost had a 11 yard touchdown run by Tom Brady here. Think of how weird that would be.
Touchdown (Patriots)
Chiefs 3-14 Patriots, 3:23, 2nd quarter
The ruling on the field stands, and the crowd is not happy about that. It’s marked as about half-yard to the goal.Brady sneaks in...
And this time the call on the field is a touchdown!
The crowd is happier now. The extra point is good.
Updated
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 3:34, 2nd quarter
The 15 yard penalty puts the Patriots at the 20 yard line. Jackson shows a flash of his old self here, picking up 8 yards to the Kansas City 12. He gets the 1st down on the next carry.
1st & 8, Brady passes to Bolden, who picks up a three yard loss. 1st & 11, Brady takes it himself and pushes his way...
To the first yard line. Or was he in? Did he get the ball in? Brady absolutely thinks so, he’s fired up and the Patriots challenge the call on the field.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 5:22, 2nd quarter
Pats on the KC 49. Jackson picks up two yards. Brady-to-Gronk picks up 4 yards, Brady-to-Edelman for 6 yards.
And that’s another first down, at the Chiefs’ 37. Brady throws to Amendola to pick up 2 yards. On the next play, they get a new set of downs on a roughing-the-passer call.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 7:40, 2nd quarter
Brady throws to Edelman who picks up 12 yards to the 14. There’s a false start on the next play. 1st & 15 at the Patriots 9, and Brady overthrows Gronk... but hits Keshawn Martin! A gain of 42 yards all the way into Kansas City territory.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 8:59, 2nd quarter
The Chiefs punt it away and on the return, there’s some scuffling. Amendola drills an unsuspecting Jamell Fleming, which warrants an unnecessary roughness penalty against the Patriots. Amendola caught it at the 4 yard line, but will start at the 2 yard line here.
Bryan Stork has come off the field with an injury as well.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 9:51, 2nd quarter
And Hammond makes a decent return of Allen’s punt, taking it 19 yards to the New England 37. The Patriots defense will have a tough task here.
Smith passes to Kelce, who is taken down by Malcolm Butler for a two yards loss. Smith throws incomplete. Then Patrick Chung holds Kelce for a gain of only a yard. That will do it for a 3 & out in New England territory.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 10:57, 2nd quarter
Edelman drops Brady’s maybe first-down catch to start their drive. Oh, the Patriots are doing this again, aren’t they? Stephen Jackson picks up two yards when Brady has throw under some defensive pressure. Then he tries to throw down the middle to James White which he can’t corral. Allen comes in to punt again.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 11:29, 2nd quarter
Not the best drive there from Kansas City but a pretty decent punt. Amendola makes a fair catch at the 10 yard line where they will start their first drive of the second quarter.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 11:40, 2nd quarter
Kansas City at their 44, working out of the shotgun. Smith throws to Chris Conley for a gain of five yards. 2nd & 5, West picks up another 3. Smith feeds West for a first down.
He hands it to Knile Davis, who gets it to the Patriots 42. 2nd & 7. Smith throws incomplete. And on 3rd &, incomplete throw once again. Here comes the punt team.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 14:51, 2nd quarter
Patriots punting team comes out on fourth down. Frankie Hammond caries Ryan Allen’s punt to the Chiefs own 33.
Chiefs are definitely in a real good position here, although still down. A big long productive drive followed by a quick one for the Patriots.
West runs for an immediate first down.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, end of the 1st quarter
Patriots at their own 32. Stephen Jackson, who is somehow not retired, runs for two. Brady’s next throw... is ALMOST intercepted. That could have been trouble.
His next throw, he aims for Edelman, but can’t find him. And we reach the end of the first quarter.
Updated
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 1:10, 1st quarter
Brady targets Edelman, picks up three yards. Brady definitely looks more comfortable here. Maybe the Chiefs defense should start asking him Trump questions.
Well, maybe that’s what they do, they get Brady to make a pretty lousy throw. 3rd & 7, Brady connects with LaFell who... does not drop it.
Weird. 9 yard catch. 1st down.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 1:52, 1st quarter
Santos kicks off is good for a touchback. The Patriots will start what is only the third possession of the game at the 20 yard line. That last drive was 17 plays. Felt like 10,000.
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 1:55, 1st quarter
@HunterFelt fair point re LaFell - just seems like a long time since Brady has had multiple receiving options (and I left Amendola out)
— Rory Murphy (@Rory_Tealeaf) January 16, 2016
The last game of the season Brady’s game plan was hand off, hand off, give up, just try not to get hurt.
Field goal (Chiefs)
Chiefs 3-7 Patriots, 1:55, 1st quarter
West picks up another 4 yards. Into the red zone here. 2nd & 6, Smith’s throw is too high. 3rd & 6, Smith has to run under duress and then throws it away. Chiefs have to settle for a field goal here.
Cario Santos hits the 34 yard field goal, and Kansas City is on the board.
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 3:26, 1st quarter
3rd & 4 for the Chiefs. Smith passes to West who runs for yet another first down, right to the New England 20. Into red zone territory here.
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 3:26, 1st quarter
The Chiefs are at the New England 32 yard, no idea how the Patriots didn’t have a plan for Smith taking off there. Davis runs for 6 yards. Smith’s next pass is incomplete and then, on the next drive, Kansas City has to call yet another time out.
Andy Reid Clock Management Syndrome.
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 4:52, 1st quarter
Chiefs pushed back to the 47, a 3rd & 13. This would seem to be not the time that Smith excels at throwing.
And Smith knows that as well because he instead scrambles all the way to a first down. A 15 yard run!
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 4:52, 1st quarter
On the KC 47, Charcandrick West runs for 7 yards on two carries. On 3rd & 3, Smith throws to Travis Kelce for a first down.
On the New England 44, Smith passes to West who just drops it. Smith tries to run it on his next carry, but gets stuffed for a loss. Chiefs call the first timeout of the game.
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 9:01, 1st quarter
First Chiefs possession, Alex Smith throws to Demetrius Harris for an easy first down. 1st & 10 on the Patriots 30, Anthony Sherman picks up just a yard after a Patrick Chung tackle. 2nd & 10, short pass to Frankie Hammond picks up two yards.
Smith finds Jeremy Maclin for 11 yards to the Chiefs 44 and this is what Smith can do with the offense, just keep getting downs, making the defense work.
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 10:17, 1st quarter
Knile Davis returns Gostkowski’s kickoff to the Kansas City 20, where they will start their drive.
@HunterFelt having Edelman, LaFell and Gronkowski all together ahead of Brady makes me feel a lot better tbh
— Rory Murphy (@Rory_Tealeaf) January 16, 2016
Considering his drop problems, I’m not entirely certain I’d put LaFell up there.
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 10:23, 1st quarter
Oh and the extra point was good.
@HunterFelt ok for you to blog as a homer. we, who cheer for kc today understand. will read you tomorrow. be funny&fair
— david silva (@david2000n) January 16, 2016
I am far too stressed out and under pressure when I liveblog for rooting interest to come into play while liveblogging. No one ever believes me when I say this but it’s true.
Updated
Touchdown (Patriots)
Chiefs 0-7 Patriots, 10:27, 1st quarter
Brady throws to Edelman, who can’t make the catch. 2nd & 10. He finds Gronk on 2nd & 10 for a gain of 3. 3rd & 7 at the Kansas City 8. Brady quiets the crowd, he fires to the endzone to Gronkowski! Touchdown Patriots!
Updated
Chiefs 0-0 Patriots, 12:04, 1st quarter
Brady at the 31, he throws to Edelman again. Another first down, 13 yards to the New England 44. Then to Damon Amendola for 16 yards, into Chiefs territory. The Kansas City 40.
1st & 10, Brady’s throw is incomplete. 2nd & 10, Brady aims for LaFell again, who picks up none. Picks up less than none, a loss of three. 3rd & 13. Brady under pressure throws to Gronkowski...
He catches and he pushes through to the Kansas City 11!
Chiefs 0-0 Patriots, 14:39, 1st quarter
Brady throws to Brandon LaFell, but he doesn’t pick up any yards. Brady’s next throw, he overthrows Julian Edelman. 3rd & 10. Brady is blitzed on the next down, but he throws a dagger to Edelman that’s good for a first down on the 31 yard line.
Kickoff!
Chiefs 0-0 Patriots, 15:00, 1st quarter
Stephen Gostkowski kicks it off for the Patriots, it’s a touchback and the Patriots will start from their own 20.
Coin toss
Kansas City Chiefs win the coin toss they defer. Patriots will have the ball.
Oh, cool. Andy Reid just finished up his 2-minute drill from Super Bowl XXXIX. Perfect timing!
— SportsPickle (@sportspickle) January 16, 2016
And this is why I’m rather confident that if ends up coming down to a final drive, I’m taking the team coached by Bill Belichick.
Elsewhere around the league
This, of course, is the first of four NFL games this weekend. Later today, the Green Bay Packers are at the Arizona Cardinals for a NFC Divisional matchup. Then tomorrow, the Seattle Seahawks face the Carolina Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers vs the Denver Broncos.
Obviously, the match that the networks want in the AFC Championship Game would be between the Patriots and Broncos, where they can book nothing but advertisements featuring Peyton Manning and Rob Gronkowski.
I AM ROOTING FOR THE @CHIEFS FOR THE NEXT FOUR HOURS
— Every Tweet Ever (@EveryTweet_Ever) January 16, 2016
Popular sentiment is, of course, against the Patriots.
Predictions
It’s hard to predict a blowout either way here, certainly nothing like the 40-14 blowout win the Chiefs had over the Patriots the last time these two teams met.
Although I expect the Patriots to win this one, it will be close until the end. I’m going to say Patriots 30, Chiefs 27. Think differently? Think exactly the same? Tweet your predictions to @HunterFelt or email them to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com.
New England Patriots inactives
#Patriots inactives: OL - T. Jackson WR - C. Harper DB - T. Wilson LB - J. Bostic OL - L. Waddle DL - I. Kitchen DL - G. Grissom
— BJ Kissel (@ChiefsReporter) January 16, 2016
Kansas City Chiefs inactives
#Chiefs inactives: OL - M. Morse OL - L. Duvernay-Tardif QB - A. Murray CB - M. Cooper LB - R. Wilson DL - D. King DL - R. Nunez-Roches
— BJ Kissel (@ChiefsReporter) January 16, 2016
@HunterFelt Will the Patriots just grind out another home win? Have a sneaky feeling the Chiefs will shut Brady down though.
— Alan Dooley (@alanmdooley) January 16, 2016
They Chiefs very well could, based on the evidence of the last few Patriots games. It’s clear that this offensive line is pretty thin. Of course, they also didn’t have Julian Edelman, so maybe having him back on the field (he’s active today) will allow Brady to be a little bit more comfortable.
Preamble
Welcome, to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, what many believe to be the most entertaining two days on the NFL schedule. We start off our coverage here at the Guardian with the AFC Divisional game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots.
The Chiefs absolutely crushed the Houston Texans last weekend, beating them 30-0 for their 11th consecutive victory. While that final score told us more about how unworthy of a playoff team the Texans were than how the Chiefs were, you can’t argue with results. Last weekend’s blowout win has to give Kansas City some confidence. It might all come down to how quarterback Alex Smith plays, and that’s not always a certain thing.
The Chiefs will face a tougher opponent this weekend than last, as they head into Foxborough to face the reigning champions. The Patriots, though, aren’t as dominant as they were earlier in the season when they had all their players healthy and were aiming for an undefeated regular season. They ended the season 12-4, losers of their last two games, and injuries have left them thin at several positions. They’re vulnerable, and that’s not even factoring in whether the Chandler Jones hospitalization story will have any repercussions. They do still have Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, so as long as they’re able to play at something resembling full-strength, New England will have to be favored here at home.
As always, we want to hear from you. Send us your predictions, thoughts, Patriots conspiracy theories etc. to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com or tweet them to @HunterFelt. It’s the New England Patriots vs the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium! Kickoff is scheduled at 4:45pm EST, but we’ll back before then.
Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, check out Paolo Bandini’s weekend preview:
In the end, what will make the Patriots wary is simply the fact that the Chiefs are a talented, well-coached football team. One that runs the ball effectively, comes after you on defense and owns the second-best turnover ratio (+14) in the league.
