John’s Well Educated Guesses: Pats vs Chiefs – Recap

That was a doozy.  Classic Tom Brady game.  Never a doubt in my mind even when the defense looked like it was from 2009.  Let's dive right in.

Prediction:  Patriots score on first possession – I think this is going to be a shootout and this is a tough prediction.  However, I don’t make easy ones.  Pats are gonna come right out the shoot and want to make a statement and I think they do just that.

Result: Wrong.  I think I actually picked the only possession in the first half that they did not score.  Big L for your boy.  That being said, they looked to be moving the ball effectively and the ground game showed signs of things to come.  I don’t have much respect for the KC defense after that performance.  They looked like the Patriots defense from years past. 

Prediction:  Kelce gets shut down – After Eric Ebron looked like a Hall of Famer, I think the Pats choose to not let Kelce beat them.  He will get jammed and doubled a lot.  Let’s say under 76 yards and no tuddy for me to be right.  I think the Pats would take that all day.

Result:  This one is a winner for me.  9 targets, 5 catches and 61 yards.  He was chipped and doubled all day.  He was targeted on the Harmon interception before the half, and I think on the Hightower interception too.  If the Pats want to take a guy away, they do it.  It probably hurt them elsewhere as Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill hurt them deep, but they were not going to let Kelce beat them.

Prediction:  Both Quarterbacks go over 300 yards – Like I said, I think this will get pretty wild. 

Result: Patrick Mahomes threw for 353 and Brady threw for 340.  I guess its pretty wild when both teams hang 40.  Are the offenses that good, or are the defenses just that bad?

Prediction:  Pats Win 38-30– I like that the Pats are home and most really big games they show up for.  I think they take Kelce out of the game and force the Chiefs to beat them elsewhere.  Tom Brady moves the ball all day long on a bad pass defense, and the AFC gets way more interesting.

Result:  I was at least right about the shoot-out potential.  Who could have seen 43-40 though? 

As for the Chiefs moving forward?  I’m not too worried about them.  I respect them and they are good, but I just don’t see them upending the Pats when it matters.  They got two broken plays over 70 yards for tuddies, the most embarrassing Tom Brady fumble that I can remember and a 97 yard kick-off return….and they still lost.  That defense is swiss cheese and not built for the playoffs.  Now the Pats are within striking distance and hold the tie-breaker.  The AFC sure did just get way more interesting.