4. New England showed they could (sort of) slow Patrick Mahomes last year. Think they can recreate that game plan?
I think it’s going to be tough for them to do. First of all, this Patriots defense, specifically the secondary, hasn’t been nearly as successful defending the pass this season as they were a season ago.
The Chiefs’ offense has changed a bit too, with the addition of Kelechi Osemele and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, they’ve found some success running the ball. This offense could look more like what the Patriots faced in Week 1 of 2017, rather than what they saw a season ago.
Also, Mahomes is playing a more mature game this year. He’s doing a really good job of protecting the football. He’s doing a better job of anticipating what a defense is going to do ahead of the snap. He’s taking what defenses give him instead of forcing some plays that aren’t really there.