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Can Patriots Hold Off Chiefs In AFC Again?

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The offside call against the Chiefs helped the Pats reach the Super Bowl 

Last season ended in storybook fashion for the New England Patriots, as they ran through the post-season en route to yet another Super Bowl victory. Their toughest test in those playoffs came against the Kansas City Chiefs, who took the Pats into overtime in the AFC Championship Game. And with the Chiefs getting more experienced and getting used to their high expectations, the Patriots will need to be at their best to defend their AFC crown against Kansas City. Will the Patriots be able to get through the Chiefs should they meet again this post-season? 

Chiefs Posing a Threat 

Perhaps the biggest reason that the Kansas City Chiefs feel like such a threat to the Patriots dynasty in the AFC, is the fact that Andy Reid’s team may not have reached their full potential last season. Given that the Chiefs ended up finishing at the top of the AFC standings heading into the playoffs, that should be a scary thought for anyone they face in 2019. 

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the player who embodies the idea that the Chiefs might be even better this year than they were last year. Mahomes burst onto the scene last season, earning the league’s Most Valuable Player award in his first full season as a starting quarterback. This year, he is being challenged in training camp by Reid and the rest of the coaching staff in hopes that he will be an MVP candidate for the second straight year. 

But it’s the defense of the Chiefs that might be the area the team improves the most. Last season, the Patriots were given all they could handle by the Chiefs, before Tom Brady led a game-winning drive in overtime to beat the Chiefs and their porous defense to get back to the Super Bowl. This year, the Chiefs have Steve Spagnuolo to run their defense, who has had a history of success against the Patriots in big games as the former defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. If he can get his players to put pressure on Tom Brady, the results this season could be different. 

The length of the football decided last year’s AFC title game 

Patriots Still In Charge 

While the Chiefs will put a tough team on the field in 2019, the New England Patriots are the New England Patriots for a reason. They still have arguably the best quarterback in the history of the sport in Tom Brady, whose recent contract extension is another sign that he isn’t going anywhere just yet. Brady comes into the 2019 season healthy, and still enjoys one of the greatest advantages in all of sports. 

That advantage is the superior coaching of the Patriots, led by Bill Belichick. When it comes to analyzing a potential match-up between the Patriots and Chiefs, there is no position where the Patriots have a bigger advantage than at head coach. Belichick has owned Reid in the post-season for his entire career, including Reid’s tenures in both Philadelphia and Kansas City. Even with the fearsome roster of the Chiefs, coach Belichick’s ability to utilize his players better than anyone else in the league gives the Pats an edge that no other team enjoys. 

The Pats will still need to overcome some adversity if they are going to earn yet another AFC championship over the Chiefs, though. They are going to have to figure out how to replace the production of Rob Gronkowski at the tight end position, as few tight ends in history have been as difficult to matchup with. And the injury concerns surrounding Julian Edelman will be something to keep an eye on, as his return is supposed to be a big key to this year’s Patriots offense. 

With or without Edelman, the Patriots are in for some stiff competition from the Kansas City Chiefs this season. But with Brady still playing at an elite level and Belichick still finding ways to outmaneuver opponents, all of the potential in the world might not matter should the Patriots and Chiefs meet on the field with the conference championship on the line. 

We’re On To The Patriots

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Big news! This past week I signed on to be a Content Producer for Patriots.com. Yes, THE Patriots. After nine years of PatsPropaganda and 12 seasons blogging Pats, I’m going to work in the mothership.

It’s as surreal for me as you can imagine it might be. When I look back on how it all started it’s crazy the way it all came together. A few days later and it’s still just slowly sinking in. I’m grateful to Fred Kirsch for giving me a shot. I can’t wait to jump in and put all my Pats passion into the team full time, in all the ways I’ve been trying to do for the past decade.

After making the announcement on Twitter, the outpouring of support was overwhelming. I so appreciate the people who have been reading my stuff since the start and supporting my work. Thank you! You are why I did it and why I could never stop.

Many of you know exactly how long I’ve been at this and that makes it extra special to share it with you, along with my family.

The good news is that you’re a fan of this blog then you’re going to get more of my kind of content. And instead of doing it during slow periods around the office or in-between all-nighter video shoots, I’ll be focusing all my time and energy on it.

All of my wildest Patriots dreams are coming true and I hope to use it to make great stuff you will all enjoy!

There will be just another post or two here but starting Monday you will find all my content at Patriots.com. Yes, I’m sitting on all my camp-related observations until they explode.

LFG

Report: Edelman to Miss Three Weeks with Thumb Injury

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Just as I was feeling pretty good about how things stacked up on the PUP, we get our very first bad news of the 2019 season with Julian Edelman expected to miss the opening weeks of training camp with a thumb injury.

Usually a surprise injury report like this just days away from camp is a kick in the nuts but honestly, at this stage of Edelman’s career and where the Pats are at with receivers, it might be a blessing in disguise just as last year’s four-game suspension was for both the team and their most reliable receiver.

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Breaking Down Patriots PUP List

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I speculated a couple weeks ago about which Patriots would start the season on the PUP list. With the announcement of who’s on the list coming over the weekend here’s a quick breakdown of each player and what it means for them and the team.

Sony Michel – Not that much of a surprise though it’s surely vexing for many Patriots fans out there who are already growing tired of Michel’s knee issues after he was taken in the first round. Michel had another “clean up” this offseason after getting one during last season as well. It’s amazing though how quickly we forget Michel’s epic playoff run. You’d think he might get a little leniency but that’s not how it works around here with first-round picks. I’m fine bringing Michel along slowly, especially because it will give rookie third-rounder Damien Harris a chance to show what he can do. And if Burkhead can stay healthy they might even consider giving Michel the first six weeks of the season off. If he’s there when it counts in January the Pats will be in a good spot.

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The 2019 Belichick Hoodie Preview

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If there’s one thing that has been cemented in the last few years it’s that despite bringing the hoodie-with-the-sleeves-cut-off to prominence, it’s been another piece of attire that has surpassed it.

Belichick won a second Super Bowl in the Hot Jacket, the regular season all-time leader in games coached (50), wins (38) and Super Bowl titles (2).

The Hot Jacket in Action

Yes, it will always be the Hoodie Database, but the Hot Jacket should have its own special place in Belichick style lore.

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Tom Brady Will Look Different This Year

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With Tom Brady’s preferred helmet now banned by the NFL after a one-year grace period, there’s no turning back now for the 19-year veteran.

Brady flirted with the new helmet he’ll likely wear this year in the early part of 2018 before ultimately going back to his favorite in Week Two.

I chronicled Brady’s previous flirtations with other helmet styles. But he always came back to what I’d call the quintessential quarterback look. When they put Brady in the Hall of Fame this is how we’ll remember him looking:

Does it scare me that maybe all the magic was in the helmet? Yes. Yes it does. And perhaps this is just another ploy by the NFL to try and cut down the Patriots dynasty.

But from now until the end we’ll just have to get used to this:

5 Patriots on the Bubble

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With another stacked roster, the Patriots will once again have some hard decisions to make this summer. Some will be easier than others, but this is one professional sports team where everyone really is on a level playing ground when things kick off.

That can lead to surprises and more often than not, that means undrafted rookies making the team while draft picks and formerly promising players are sent packing. It used to be that no one the Patriots let go went on to do much of anything, but those days have changed.

Now spare cornerbacks are finding lucrative NFL contracts, while the one-and-done approach to rejuvenating one’s career with the Pats is still as smart a move as anyone like Chris Long or Cordarrelle Patterson can make. Get a ring then get paid.

Who are the 5 guys who are most on the bubble as we enter camp? Let’s take a look.

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