Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is having a breakout second season and is positioned to take home the MVP award. This would be the first time in history a Chiefs player has won the award and he would certainly be deserving of the honor. However, the New England Patriots are looking cut his storybook season a game short.
Mahomes can boost his resume this weekend if he can lead the Chiefs to a win over the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. However, the Patriots, who are playing in their eighth straight conference title game, and looking for their third straight trip to the Super Bowl, have a chance to show they belong in Super Bowl 53 and must shut down Mahomes to do so.
The former Texas Tech gunslinger has not missed a beat from college since taking over as the Chiefs play caller, but the Patriots are a different team when it comes to the playoffs. If they want to have a shot at their sixth Lombardi Trophy, they will have to come to play on Sunday.
The New England Patriots know they are going to have step up to contain Mahomes this weekend if they stand any chance in the AFC title game. Bill Belichick's club is all-too-familiar with Mahomes and company, as they defeated them in a 43-40 shootout in mid-October.
Mahomes was in midseason form well before his midseason matchup with the Patriots, but it was a slow first half that seemed to doom the Chiefs in maintaining their then-perfect record. Mahomes threw both of his interceptions in the first half of that game and the Chiefs only managed nine points while the Patriots threw 24 on the board and seemingly had a more-than-comfortable lead going into the break.
If the Patriots want to get past the Chiefs, they will have to do more of what they did in the first half and a lot less of what they did in the second. Mahomes threw four touchdowns in the second half and helped his team to a 17-3 that made it a one score game, which sparked the back-and-forth scramble fans saw in the fourth quarter.
New England is going to have to make the Chiefs run the ball in this second meeting. The one difference between Sunday's game and their meeting in October is Kareem Hunt. That being that he is no longer in the league or with the Chiefs.
Hunt rushed for 80 yards and caught five passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in that game and he was one of the big catalysts for the Chiefs' second half comeback. With Mahomes' favorite checkdown target gone, he might have to start making more plays with his feet and make throws he doesn't want to, which should lead to more turnover opportunities for the New England Patriots.
Another way the Patriots can shut down Mahomes is, believe it or not, with their own offense. The Patriots held the ball for nearly 37 minutes in their first meeting with the Chiefs, but most of that time of possession came in the first half. They held the ball for almost 40 minutes in their win over the Los Angeles Chargers this past Sunday and they still almost gave up a 27-point lead late in the game.
While the Chargers two touchdowns came in garbage time, the Patriots let them make things much more interesting than they should have. If they do that with the Chiefs, a much more powerful offense, it will be ugly for New England.
Tom Brady is going to have to get his offense to establish a run game and take as much time off the clock while putting points on the board. Getting in the endzone is key for the Patriots as the Chiefs can seemingly score at will.
If they can chew time off the clock in both the first and second half, there is no doubt that the New England Patriots will be winning their third straight AFC championship and will be in Atlanta in early February.
The Patriots know exactly what they need to do when they walk into Arrowhead Stadium Sunday: Shut down Patrick Mahomes. To do that, their offense must step up and their defense has to force the Chiefs to run the ball. Sunday should be a fun one.
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