What are your guys' thoughts on KC?

[XLIX]

We still have people caught up in regular season results? Look at who has beaten us in the playoffs in the past, Jets, Giants, Ravens and none of them were all that great in the regular season. Chiefs have the potential to give us trouble.

Anyone who dismisses a playoff game as an easy win is a fool. 7 years ago Patriots went 14-2 and got embarrassed by the Jets.

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

The only pushover team currently in the AFC playoffs are the Titans. What the hell do they do well?

Everyone else (Ravens, Steelers, Chiefs, Jaguars) has at least a shot.

I rather the Chargers make the playoffs than the Titans, at least they can pick off one of the above yet would still be preferable to any of the above.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

What are the thoughts on KC?
Good BBQ, fair to good severe storm research area, casino across the river, too cold in the winter, lacks a hub and spoke highway system.

 

[n6249c]

What are the thoughts on KC?
Good BBQ, fair to good severe storm research area, casino across the river, too cold in the winter, lacks a hub and spoke highway system.

Not just BBQ. Good steaks too. KC Stockyards restaurant for example.

 

[dtbrks]

My limited impression

Great weeks 1-5
Lower than average 6-9
Average 9-11
Better than average 12-16
Beginning t looks like the week 1-5 time but the competition is questionable. Cause I have no idea

 

[mosslost]

It’s a cake walk no matter who it is.

The only question is calls. Any team on earth: they didn’t get both feet down so it’s incomplete.

Pats:? They didn’t get both feet down , a controversial call

It was a blown call. We didn’t need the help.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

The only pushover team currently in the AFC playoffs are the Titans. What the hell do they do well?

Everyone else (Ravens, Steelers, Chiefs, Jaguars) has at least a shot.

I rather the Chargers make the playoffs than the Titans, at least they can pick off one of the above yet would still be preferable to any of the above.

Totally agree about the Titans. They may be close to putting together a team that can win the tougher contests but right now they are pushovers for a good team while routinely eking by the also rans. A consistent point differential that is underwater is telling (living on borrowed time). Our very own Jimmy G did them a solid to almost guarantee them a PO spot. The Jags are #3 seed and next week can't change that. So Jags likely to rest starters -- and probably play vanilla schemes since the Jags and Titans turn right around and play again next week in WC weekend (if the Titans can't win and make the playoffs against 2 quarters of second string vanilla? Forgetaboutit).

IMHO Chargers (maybe even Bills) are a better 6th seed playoff representative (for example both Chargers and Ravens are well above water on PD) but that means nothing, the records are the records. Yet any given Sunday, who knows, there is always the chance the Titans click at the right time to find a way to beat Jags on WC weekend (that would mean the Titans have to beat the Jags 3 times in one season). That would be ideal for the Patriots: We'd have the Titans in AFCDG then Pitt/KC/Ravens in AFCCG.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Not just BBQ. Good steaks too. KC Stockyards restaurant for example.

Yep, that was a miss on my part because one of the best ribeyes I ever had was at a place just outside KC (early 90s, don't remember the name but the place had pictures of cows on the walls.). Damn, now that I'm reminded of it and how damn good that was, this week I might hit up a butcher and get some top shelf ribeyes.

 

[n6249c]

Yep, that was a miss on my part because one of the best ribeyes I ever had was at a place just outside KC (early 90s, don't remember the name but the place had pictures of cows on the walls.). Damn, now that I'm reminded of it and how damn good that was, this week I might hit up a butcher and get some top shelf ribeyes.

Best steak I ever had was a tenderloin at a rustic (polite term) saloon & steakhouse an hour or two up river from KC. Tipoff was the menu credit "our steaks are proudly hand cut by Ralph's Butcher Shop" with the address two towns away. Basically the stock too good to ship to market.

Hope you can find something comparable!

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Eric Berry was smothering Gronk in that first game, they don't have him as the master chess piece to move around and take out our best player anymore

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I still feel like cooks's the wildcard for this offense to flourish even if hogan comes back. This guy has to do more. He really has been quiet the last couple of games. It seems like he gets the big plays from trickery or play action.

 

[signbabybrady]

What are the thoughts on KC?
Good BBQ, fair to good severe storm research area, casino across the river, too cold in the winter, lacks a hub and spoke highway system.

I went on the road trip in 2014.

Arthur Bryant's was overrated but Joe's KC BBQ was excellent.

Wish we didn't get smoked but we won the SB so oh well. Actually it was a pretty cool environment that night they took the noise record back from Sea and I found the stadium nice despite its age.

We stayed at the Casino and I got even with some of them that night at the poker table. Took a couple hundred from some happy drunks that night.

As to the playoffs this year I think you have to consider us the favorites over both them and the Steelers but they both can beat us and have to respect their chance. I don't think anyone else has more than an outside chance in the AFC. Personally/based on history KC makes me more nervous than Pitt.

 

[fightingirish595]

Bad defense and an inconsistent o line. If they can’t get hunt going they struggle. But a lot of time he gets the ball and defenders are in the backfield before he can do anything

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Best steak I ever had was a tenderloin at a rustic (polite term) saloon & steakhouse an hour or two up river from KC. Tipoff was the menu credit "our steaks are proudly hand cut by Ralph's Butcher Shop" with the address two towns away. Basically the stock too good to ship to market.

Hope you can find something comparable!

Thanks N6, unfortunately I'm mostly SOL. These days I live in the southern most part of the Tampa Bay area. Great weather right now but food is a thumbs down with just a few exceptions (a good cuban, good gulf shrimp offerings coast side, or get lucky finding a northern transplant who runs something like a mom and pop pizza joint or sandwich shop that sells a good italian sub). I've been around the country over the years so I have high standards for some deep fried seafood or a slice of pizza in the northeast, or mexican or chinese food in Norcal, steaks I'd get outside KC & when i was in Nebraska, even this great heart stopper BBQ I'd go to called Moonlight BBQ in Kentucky (that is wayyy too much whining! ).
With the exception of downtown Tampa/Ybor restaurants (a drive) or the only butcher shop that is worth the $ and extra effort to go to (25 minutes away, one way), I usually just go with the best Publix offering (only 5 minutes away ). The good news is on any given day you can get end up with a decent cut at Publix -- or it also can suck for how much I just spent for this Dollar General store type cut I get. But after the talk of the KC steaks, what the hell, I'm gonna put in the hour round trip to go to the butcher this week

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

As to the playoffs this year I think you have to consider us the favorites over both them and the Steelers but they both can beat us and have to respect their chance. I don't think anyone else has more than an outside chance in the AFC. Personally/based on history KC makes me more nervous than Pitt.

I agree with you that we rightfully should be considered favorites especially if we secure HFA. I expect the Patriots to win the AFCDG and AFCCG (the SB is an unknown) but this year my confidence level is lesser than the past several years from a 'we have the best complimentary team' level. The D and O both are still showing quite a bit of Jekyll and Hyde, and I've been a bit puzzled by some of JM/BB thinking (because I obviously know more than them ). Based on this it makes me assume BB and staff, even this late in the season, are still trying to figure out/confirm confidence in what the team/personnel packages are able to execute consistently well in A or B or C conditions.

It feels like and has felt like they are on the cusp of that consistency that I sensed was there in 2014-2016 (injuries made 2015 problematic but IMHO we still should have been SB bound if not for a late season series of unfortunate events that culminated in the game/result in Denver). And what the Patriots currently do have from a complimentary aspect is plenty good enough to nearly always beat the middle and lower tiers as well as be competitive or win against the upper tier competition. But I'd feel better about our chances if I see a consistency in the playoffs that has looked a bit more Jekyll and Hyde the past month.

If we don't get that consistency? Hey, it doesn't sink our chances, not by a mile, it just means we may need to string together a couple of wins that are seat of the pants, maybe at points during the game the win is looking unlikely, maybe need a good bounce, a wing and a prayer skin of the teeth last minute drive or D stand. Put another way: winning by superior situational football execution that compensates and overcomes a general game performance that does not suggest victory is likelier than not.

 

[supafly]

I think it will be either Baltimore or KC in the first round, although I wouldn’t put it past a team like JAX to blow it should SD get in as the 6th seed.

Like any other year, going to the SB will present some excellent competition and plenty of obstacles, either way. Pittsburgh did a decent job of moving the ball and limiting our offense in a man coverage scheme, and that was without Haden and Brown.

Hoping to see a bit of improvement on both sides of the ball as the stakes increase in the postseason. There are plenty of times where this year’s team is “good,” but it would be great to see some more consistency which should come with the return of injured players.

 

[jah]

We still have people caught up in regular season results? Look at who has beaten us in the playoffs in the past, Jets, Giants, Ravens and none of them were all that great in the regular season. Chiefs have the potential to give us trouble.

None of those teams were all that great in the regular season, but all 3 beat us in the regular season. It does indeed fit the pattern...

 

[Doctor DDS]

Easiest road to Super Bowl: Titans and Ravens
Likely road: Chiefs and Steelers

The Chiefs concern me due to how well Smith has played this year and with Hunt and Hill they have 2 players that can take it to the house at any moment. Would still expect to win but the weak run defense and propensity to give up multiple 5 minute plus drives per game could easily put the Pats in "must score" drive situations early in the game.

This is the best Steelers team in a long time and if they come to Foxboro healthy I think it would be barn burner.

I agree with prior comments that while I do expect the Pats to win the AFC I have less confidence in this team than in prior years. Without Edelman the team has been less methodical than in the past and moving the ball/scoring seems more difficult. Maybe if Hogan, White, Branch ... are back and firing on all cylinders the team clicks and is able to put games away quicker.

 

[MassPats38]

KC jumped the Pats in weeks 1-4 (in both 2014 and this year). Last time it was the offensive line, this time is was defense. The Pats generally take several weeks to get all the new pieces incorporated, and this year the defense looked about as bad as it could during that time.

KC will not get a game's worth of gimme TDs, and will actually have to beat the defense. It was not a coincidence the Pats took the Chiefs down in the later season in 2016.

I agree no playoff team is a joke, but this notion that the two beatdowns in the earlier season suggest an ability to repeat that in the playoffs is a bit off. The Pats have improved significantly from the start of the season, and do so every year. KC is diminished. I wouldn't mind seeing them just to put that question to bed.

I still see the Jaguars as the major wild card, given talent levels and wildly inconsistent play week in, week out. They also have a defensive line that may be a bad match up for the Pats.

 

[PatsDeb]

Kc is light work in the divisional round. Week 1 is a long time ago and Andy Reid in the playoffs speaks for itself. Bring them on.

Have to agree with this. It's a mystery to me how their O looked so good on opening night with the way they've played over the season, but maybe that speaks to how much our D was not ready for prime time. I feel like we'd win a rematch pretty easily.