After a 41-28 thumping of the Los Angeles Chargers in the divisional round, the New England Patriots now turn their attention towards the AFC Championship Game and the Kansas City Chiefs. In the one previous meeting between these two teams this season, New England came out on top by a score of 43-40. What is perhaps the most intriguing matchup within this game is the quarterbacks. The rematch between the young gun MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes, and the Canton bound Tom Brady. The sequel to their shootout in Foxboro way back in Week six has all the makings to be an instant classic, and now is a better time than ever to take a closer look at how the two signal callers matchup.
The Sequel to Tom Brady vs Patrick Hahomes
The Matchup
Tom Brady and the Patriots are heating up at just the right time. Brady seems to be back to full health after dealing with a knee injury for much of the season. This definitely bodes well for Patriots and their hopes to effectively move the ball.
As for for the Chiefs. They are coming off of a blowout win against the Indianapolis Colts, and have the advantage of playing on their home field this week. Mahomes has been absolutely sensational all year long. He is right in the middle of the MVP conversation and rightfully so. His ability to improvise and win games for the Chiefs is the reason they are just one win away from a Super Bowl appearance.
How The Chiefs Will Defend Brady
Watching Brady dissect the Chargers defense should give Patriots fans confidence in the team’s chances this Sunday. The Chiefs have a tall order trying to shut down Brady in the passing game, especially considering how shaky their secondary has been this year. The biggest key in slowing down Brady and the passing attack will be to stop the running backs since James White has been lethal in the passing game this year. Being able to keep the ball out of his hands will be key if the Chiefs hope to win the game.
Another important factor for the Chiefs will be their pass rush. Dee Ford, Chris Jones, and Justin Houston will need to be on their game. Brady ranked dead last in the NFL against the blitz this season. This makes getting after Brady incredibly important to winning the game. Houston, Ford, and Jones have been dominant at times in the pass rush this season, and have definitely been the highlight of the Chiefs defense. If they fail to put consistent pressure on Brady, then it is almost guaranteed he will gash the secondary by throwing to James White or Julian Edelman.
How The Patriots Will Defend Mahomes
The biggest key for the Patriots defense this week is to take away Tyreek Hill. In their last matchup Hill went for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Being able to take him out of the passing game will be huge for the New England defense. Whether it is with double coverage or just jamming him hard at the line of scrimmage, limiting Hill will be crucial to the Patriots success.
In addition to limiting Tyreek Hill, the Patriots will need to contain Mahomes himself. In order to do that they can’t let him escape the pocket. Mahomes is at his best when he’s outside of the pocket and improvising plays. The MVP candidate can beat teams with both his legs and arm. Keeping Mahomes contained will fall on the shoulders of the defensive line and the linebackers. Players like Kyle Van Noy, Trey Flowers, and Dont’a Hightower will be responsible for putting pressure on Mahomes and keeping him contained. Obviously there will be times that he gets outside the pocket, but limiting these opportunities will be key.
Who Has The Edge?
This is an incredibly close matchup as far as quarterback play is concerned. On one side you have one of the premier young quarterbacks in the league who is currently in the midst of a historic season. However, on the other side you have arguably the greatest quarterback in the game’s history. It is a matchup of youth against experience. As we know, and have seen so often in the playoffs, experience is extremely important.
This experience is why Tom Brady has the edge over Patrick Mahomes in this matchup. Brady has been in these types of big time games for almost two decades whereas this is Mahomes’ first AFC Championship appearance. Mahomes does have the talent to succeed, but it is also possible the moment could be too big. This uncertainty is what gives Brady an edge in this AFC title game quarterback matchup.
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