MORSE: Patriots Preview of the Kansas City Chiefs
(PHOTO: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 9 minutes
Posted Under: Patriots News
(PHOTO: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 9 minutes
New England Patriots > Patriots Blog
(PHOTO: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports) The Patriots can play the role of spoiler as the Kansas City Chiefs visit Foxboro on Sunday. The Chiefs were a hard luck loser last weekend to the Bills. At 8-5 the Chiefs are right in the thick of the playoff race. Patrick Mahomes had a meltdown after the game over a controversial offsides call against the Chiefs nullifying a flea flicker TD. The call was absolutely correct, Kadarius Toney was offsides. Usually, the Wide Receivers look to the sideline referee and indicate whether they are up on the line or off the line. The ref also confirms if they are on side. Toney just glanced over to the sideline, not making any eye contact with the official. Mahomes and the Chiefs have nothing to bitch about. Every game, KC Right Tackle Jawaan Taylor moves into a passing set before the ball is hiked. He has been called for it occasionally, but most of the time he gets away with it.
OFFENSE 3WR 1TE
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| QB | Patrick Mahomes | Blaine Gabbert | – | – |
| RB | Isiah Pacheco Q | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Jerick McKinnon | – |
| WR | Rashee Rice | Skyy Moore | Justyn Ross | |
| WR | Justin Watson | Kadarius Toney | Mecole Hardman IR | – |
| WR | Marquez Valdes-Scantling | Richie James | Nikko Remigio IR | – |
| TE | Travis Kelce | Noah Gray | Blake Bell | Jody Fortson IR |
| LT | Donovan Smith Q | Wanya Morris | Prince Tega Wanogho IR | – |
| LG | Joe Thuney | Mike Caliendo | ||
| C | Creed Humphrey | Nick Allegretti | ||
| RG | Trey Smith | Nick Allegretti | ||
| RT | Jawaan Taylor | Lucas Niang |
Patrick Mahomes is what moves the KC Chiefs. The two-time Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP and League MVP is what the KC Offense is all about. His receiving corps may be one of the worst in the league and is comparable to the 2006 Patriots Wide Receiver corps that Tom Brady had to work with. Mahomes is ranked as s the 8th QB in the league so far this season. He is 11th in passing yards mainly because his wide receivers can’t hold onto the ball. As long as Mahomes is healthy the Chiefs have a chance of winning.
The Offensive line is a big question mark. They should be better than they are. They are 17th in rushing. It all starts with Left Tackle Donovan Smith. In the 2015 draft, Smith was selected in the 2nd round (#54) by Tampa Bay. He played 8 years with Tampa Bay and won the Super LV with Tom Brady. However, Smith never received any individual league accolades. Tampa Bay released him in 2023 and he signed with Kansas City. Smith is ranked #63rd in the Preo Football Focus rankings of all Tackles. That is barely a starter and his 55.4 rating is next to the worst starting Tackle. His run grade is an abysmal 45.0. Smith has been ruled Out for Sunday. His replacement will be Wanya Morris a 2023 3rd round (#92) pick from Oklahoma. He has played in just one game this year.
Joe Thuney is a player we should never have let get away and is one of Bill Belichicks biggest mistakes as a GM. Thuney is exactly the type of player you build your Offensive Line around. Thuney is a the #7th ranked Guard by PFF. Thuney was a 2015 3rd round (#78) pick by the Patriots. He has been selected to the 2nd team All Pro and to the Pro Bowl in 2022. The three-time Super Bowl Champ, twice with the Patriots has been the anchor of the KC line. In his 8th season, Thuney has missed just two games in his career. In 2019 for the Patriots, he had zero penalties called against him for the season.
Center has Creed Humphrey manning the position, the former Oklahoma Sooner was a third team All-American in 2020. He was selected in the 2nd round (#52) by KC in 2021. He started right away and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2022 and then 2nd team All-Pro the same year. Humphrey is ranked #4 by PFF. Thuney and Humphrey give KC a solid base to start their O-line.
Trey Smith is a 2017 6th round (#226) selection by the Chiefs out of Tennessee. He was a two-time All-SEC 1st team player (2019 & 2020) and a 2nd team in 2017. Interesting fact, the Chiefs O-Line gave up zero sacks in the Super Bowl LVII versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Right Tackle Jawaan Taylor is a bit of a problem. The second-round selection (#35) was the pick by Jacksonville. At Jacksonville, he started all the games for 4 years at Right Tackle. Kansas City signed him as a Free Agent to a 4 year $80M contract this year. PFF ranked him 74th this season with a 50.8 rating. That’s not even starter quality as there are only 64 starters. KC is getting screwed for their investment in Taylor. As I said earlier, Taylor jumps back into his pass blocking stance early on nearly every pass block set. It is very obvious, and the officials have started to call him on it. Look for this on Sunday.
The KC running backs are nothing to write home about. Isaiah Pacheco is a nice story about a 7th round pick made last year working his way into the starting lineup. The speedster from Rutgers leads the team with 774 yards on 176 carries for a 4.4 average and 6 TDs. Pacheco also has 33 catches on 38 targets for 208 yards, a 6.3 average , and 1 TD. However, Pacheco has not practiced this week and had surgery. He is listed as Out on the injury report.
That would make Patrick Mahomes as the leading rusher with 339 yards on 58 carries for a 5.8 yard average. Clyde Edwards-Helaire will get the nod since Pacheco can’t go. He is having a miserable year with 179 yards on 51 carries for a 3.5 average and only 1 TD. Jerick McKinnon is still on the team and is used as a receiving back on third down. He has 22 catches on 29 targets for 173 yards, a 7.9 average and 3 TDs.
Travis Kelce is a phenomenal pass catcher, but he is not a Tight End and shouldn’t be classified as one. He is not an in-line blocker which is a requirement of a Tight End. As a Receiver he is the best in the league, and the way that KC utilizes him is great. He can’t hold Rob Gronkowski’s jock strap as an all-around Tight End. Kelce is having another great season, with 80 catches on 103 targets for 896 yards, an 11.2 average and 5 TDs. Kelce is Mahomes favorite target. Noah Gray and Blake Bell chip in at TE as well. Gray has 22 catches on 29 targets for 246 yards, 11.2 average and 2 TDs.
The Wide Receivers is where the blame should be directed for the recent losses. Rookie 2nd round pick Rashee Rice has emerged as the leading WR. He has 59 catches on 75 targets for 663 yards, an 11.2 average and 6 TDs. If the Patriots secondary can shut down Rice and Kelce combined with their outstanding run defense, the Patriots could frustrate the Chiefs. Kadarius Toney has 25 catches, Skyy Moore has 21 and Justin Watson has 21, followed by Marquez Valdes-Scantling with 19. The big problem is drops. All are around 50% catch rate.
DEFENSE Base 4-3
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| LDE | George Karlaftis | Malik Herring | BJ Thompson | |
| LDT | Derrick Nnadi | Neil Farrell | Matt Dickerson | |
| RDT | Chris Jones | Tershawn Wharton | ||
| RDE | Mike Danna | Charles Omenihu | Felix Anudike-Uzomah | |
| WLB | Willie Gay | Cam Jones | – | |
| MLB | Nick Bolton | Leo Chenal | Darius Harris | |
| SLB | Drue Tranquill Q | Jack Cochrane | – | |
| LCB | L’Jarius Sneed | Joshua Williams | Nic Jones | |
| SS | Justin Reid | Chamarri Conner | Nazeeh Johnson IR | |
| FS | Mike Edwards | Bryan Cook IR | ||
| RCB | Trent McDuffie | Jaylen Watson | Ekow Boye-Doe |
DT Chris Jones is one of the most dominant D-linemen in the league. He single-handedly can disrupt a game plan. Jones can’t be blocked and ends up in the backfield blowing up plays. Although Jones only has 24 tackles but 6.5 of those are sacks. That’s a high number for an interior lineman. DE George Karlaftis is a 2022 1st round pick (#30) out of Purdue. He leads the team with 9 sacks. Derrick Nnadi fills the LDT position. Nnadi was 2017 3rd round (#75) selection by the Chiefs. He is a stout (6’1” 317 lb.) DT that occupies blockers to help set up the linebackers to make the tackles. RDE is played by Mike Danna, a 2020 round 5 (#177) out of Central Michigan. Danna leads the DL in tackles with 43 and has chipped in with 6.5 sacks. Charkes Omenihu a 2019 5th round pick was suspended for the first 6 games this year.
The linebackers are led by former LA Charger Dru Tranquill. He is second on the team with 73 tackles. The former Notre Dame player was a 2019 4th round selection (#130) of LA. He signed as a Free Agent this season with KC. Tranquill bet on himself and signed a 1-year contract for up to $5M. He will be a free agent again in 2024. He has been listed as Questionable because of a concussion, but he has been a full participant in practice this week. Nick Bolton is a thumper, an old school Middle Linebacker. The 2021 2nd round pick (#58) played at Missouri and was a player that I thought would be on the Patriots radar. He was probably taken before they had him slotted. He is only 5’ 11” and 237 lbs. but he hits like a train. A comparable player is Patriots’ Ja’Whaun Bentley. Bolton has 36 tackles this season. The Chiefs struck gold with the selection of LB Leo Chenal. The 2022 round 3 (#103) was another player that I thought the Pats would be interested in. The former Wisconsin Badger has 50 tackles this year. Willie Gay is listed as the starter and the former 2020 2nd round (#63) linebacker out of Mississippi State has 49 tackles.
In the secondary L’Jarius Sneed is the Left Cornerback. His ranking on PFF is 45. The 2020 4th round (#138) selection out of Louisiana Tech is 4th on the team in tackles with 63. Sneed leads the team with 2 INTs. The top cornerback is Trent McDuffie who has 68 Tackles. The 2022 1st round (#21) selection out of Washington has two sacks but no INTs. McDuffie is ranked 8th by PFF,
The Strong Safety Justin Reid leads the team in tackles with 74, 1 INT, and 1 sack. His ranking by PFF is an abysmal 77. Mike Edwards the Free Safety starter is ranked at 64. That is a very big weak link in the KC defense. Bryan Cook is on IR and his ranking was much higher at 43.
SPECIAL TEAMS
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| PK | Harrison Butker | – | – | – |
| P | Tommy Townsend | – | – | – |
| H | Tommy Townsend | – | – | – |
| PR | Richie James | Kadarius Toney | Justin Watson | Skyy Moore |
| KR | Richie James | Rashee Rice | Isiah Pacheco Q | |
| LS | James Winchester |
Harrison Butker has been one of the most consistent scorers in the league. This season is no exception with Butker making all his kicks through week 14. He has kicked 23 of 23 Field Goals including a 60 yarder and is 31 of 31 on Extra Points. His rank is just 21 but that is due to his lack of opportunities. I’d take Butker on my team any day. Punter Tommy Townsend is ranked 15th (just ahead of Bryce Baringer). Richie James is the primary Kickoff and Punt Return man. James is ranked 35th per Pro Football Reference. That is just ahead of Pop Douglas. He is a non-factor in the return game.
The Game
Kansas City is coming off an emotional loss to the Bills. They are going to try and take that out on the Pats Sunday. Trent Brown did not practice Thursday or Friday. We might see the same type of platoon with Connor McDermott at Left Tackle. Demario Douglas has been cleared to play and practiced all week. Tackle Tyron Wheatley has been cleared to start practice off of IR. He was a full participant on Thursday and Friday. He does not have to be activated this week. Look for Kevin Harris to get elevated again at RB. Linebacker Christian Elliss should also be active.
The Patriots’ Defense has been one of the better defenses in the league since week 11. Currently they are ranked 8th on the season. KC is ranked 6th. The Chiefs are 20th against the rush and the Pats are 3rd. I think the weakness in the Chiefs defense is their Safeties. The Patriots’ strength is in their rush offense. Look for another big game from Ezekiel Elliott.
Can the Patriots’ keep Mahomes contained and not let him gain time for his receivers to get open. The Special Teams might be a wash with KC having the edge with Harrison Butkers kicking.
Look for another close game with Bailey Zappe and the offense doing just enough to pull out a win.
Monday Night Football Game Flexed Out
Why was the game flexed out of Monday Night Football? I can understand the league wanted to get better competition for their TV partners. The TV rights cost a lot of money and is a big reason why the league has been able to increase revenues for the owners. But it was Robert Kraft who negotiated that deal. The league doesn’t give a crap about the fans of these two teams. Many fans from KC and beyond had made arrangements to travel for the Monday Night game. They cannot get their money back on airline tickets. They could make new reservations but at a cost to them. Maybe they can’t go to a game on Sunday. Why not have two games on Monday night like they did this past Monday? Why punish the Patriots and their fans?
Malik Cunnigham Signed Off Patriots Practice Squad
This is another foible by Bill Belichick as the GM. The Patriots lost Cunningham for nothing. Granted the Ravens style of Offense is more in line with Cunnigham’s Quarterback skills. Did they really need him? No, Cunnigham will be a 4th quarterback on their 53-man roster. Instead of a change of pace running QB, the Patriots keep 7 special teams only players. Cunningham may never be a starting QB in the league, but I just hate losing players with potential. Officially Cunnigham was active for only 1 game. Why not use him in the short yardage “Tush Push” type of play? I just think his is another indication that the league has passed Bill Belichick by. He is a relic and needs to go now.
Taylor Swift Phenomenon
It is a big deal the romance between KCs Travis Kelce and the pop singer. The league and media are playing it up and it is introducing a lot of new fans. I don’t care for Taylor Swift and I think she has little talent and is just a product of her music publisher and record company. It has been reported that she will be in attendance on Sunday as she has a residence in Rhode Island. What is the Over/Under on the number of times she will be flashed on the TV screen and Big Screen in the Stadium?
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