Alex Smith hosts Tom Brady in Kansas City for a battle of struggling offenses that have been bailed out by good defense.
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Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Head-to-Head record: Chiefs lead 16-13-3
Last Meeting: November 21, 2011 – Patriots won 34-3
Through the first three games this season, the Patriots and Chiefs have not looked like the teams that collectively went 23-9 in 2013. The Chiefs have struggled with injuries to Pro Bowl and All-Pro players while the Patriots have simply not been the overpowering juggernaut they have been known to be.
Granted the season is very young, but both teams already have losses against division opponents – which could come back to bite them later in the year if they don’t get better offensive production this week.
Tom Brady has weaknesses at the receiver position while Rob Gronkowski continues to return to form, while the Chiefs have weaknesses at RB with the loss of All-Pro Jamaal Charles for several weeks. And in the 6 combined teams between the two, only the Patriots have had one herculean effort by the defense – but in a 30-7 rout of the Adrian Peterson-less Minnesota Vikings.
This game will either be one team making a statement that their problems are not as bad as they appeared in the first few weeks, or just a downright sloppy game.
Prediction: New England Patriots – This will be a close game that could come down to who has the ball longest in the 4th quarter – or it will be a Vikings-style blowout for the Patriots. Either way, the home team Chiefs are going to struggle mightily moving the ball through the air against Darrelle Revis and on the ground against a resurgent Vince Wilfork – which in turn will give plenty of time for Tom Brady to do what Tom Brady does.
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