Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images The Patriots will be hosting the reigning world champions at Gillette Stadium this weekend. Even if you are only a casual observer of the NFL beyond the New England Patriots, chances are you have heard of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The former is possibly the best quarterback in the NFL at the moment, while the latter has been in the headlines for his off-field endeavors such as much as his on-field productivity. Both Mahomes and Kelce are future Hall of Famers, and as good a combo as there is in football. They are a driving force behind a Kansas City Chiefs team that has won two Super Bowls in the last four years and is once again among the best in the league in 2023. Regardless of how good they are, two players alone do not a team make. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the other names — some bigger than others — worth keeping an eye on heading into the Patriots’ Week 15 bout with the Chiefs. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire: With the Chiefs’ most productive offensive skill position player, Isiah Pacheco, looking increasingly unlikely to play on Sunday, Clyde Edwards-Helaire might return to the starting lineup. The former first-round draft pick did show some flashes in his four seasons in Kansas City, but was never a true difference maker leading to Pacheco replacing him on the depth chart. Now, however, he might get another shot to add to his 2023 statistics. In 12 games this season, Edwards-Helaire has carried the ball 51 times for 179 yards and one touchdown, while also catching nine passes for 73 yards. WR Rashee Rice and WR Justin Watson: One of the reasons for Kansas City’s comparatively uneven production this season is a wide receiver room lacking high-end quality. The group’s best and most consistent performer so far this year has been a rookie: second-round draft pick Rashee Rice is second on the roster in both receptions (59) and receiving yards (663), while scoring a team-high six touchdowns. A vast majority of his production this season has come in the underneath areas of the field, and Mahomes will not be afraid to send the ball his way. As a consequence, he is as close to a WR1 as the Chiefs have at the moment. Rashee Rice has mostly been an underneath threat for KC, but Myles Bryant and JC Jackson will need to be mindful of backshoulder fadesRice and Mahomes have flashed some chemistry on these throws late in games pic.twitter.com/Cl6VTXOVqA— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) December 12, 2023 Kansas City has mixed and matched its wide receivers throughout the year, with no clear hierarchy in the spots alongside Rice. One player the Patriots need to keep an eye on, though, is Justin Watson. The nominal WR4 in terms of playing time, he ranks third on the team with 40 targets. While he as caught only 21 of those (t-7th) he has managed to score twice (t-4th) and gain 350 yards (3rd) for a team-leading 16.7 yards per reception. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder, who lines up primarily on the perimeter, has been the Chiefs’ big-play threat this year. TE Noah Gray: While Travis Kelce is getting virtually all of the spotlight at the tight end position, the team’s No. 2 has also been quite productive this year: Noah Gray, who is a top-5 skill position player in snaps played as well as receptions (22; t-5th), receiving yards (246; 5th) and touchdowns (2; t-4th). With the Patriots likely focusing on limiting Kelce’s impact, they cannot forget about Gray. OT Wanya Morris: The Chiefs have a stout interior offensive line — ex-Patriot Joe Thuney is one of the best left guards in the NFL; Creed Humphrey is as good a center as there is; Trey Smith is good at both run and pass blocking at right guard — but there are questions at the tackle spots. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor has had his ups and downs, with left tackle Donovan Smith uncertain to play on Sunday after missing back-to-back practices due to a neck issue. If Smith is unable to go, the game against the Patriots would mark just the second time this season Kansas City would not have its top five up front available this season (a stark contrast to its opponent this week). It would also push Wanya Morris back into the starting lineup. A third-round draft pick out of Oklahoma earlier this year, Morris is the nominal No. 2 at left tackle and started last week’s game against Buffalo. The 6-foot-5, 307-pounder did have some ups and downs, and gave up five total quarterback pressures. New England will likely see him as a player it can attack, so it will be interesting to see what Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo throw his way. DT Chris Jones: The Patriots’ interior offensive line has started to settle down a bit, and the team will need the group at its best come this Sunday. Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, after all, is one of the most disruptive players in all of football. The #Patriots will face their 3rd elite pass rusher in 3 games with crafty game-wrecker Chris Jones coming to town
Cole Strange and Sidy Sow mostly held up 1-on-1 last week, but each had a quick loss, and Sow allowed 2 sacks to line games
Onwenu could also see reps vs Jones pic.twitter.com/iKyoRiif3U— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) December 12, 2023 Jones’ 7.5 sacks and 51 total quarterback disruptions are both ranked second on the team, but his impact goes beyond the stat sheet. He commands special attention, which in turn might create favorable 1-on-1 opportunities for other players along Kansas City’s defensive front — players such as: ED George Karlaftis and ED Mike Danna: The Chiefs’ starting edge duo has played some very good football this season, combining to generate 89 quarterback pressures so far this season. Karlaftis is responsible for 57 of those, as well as a team-high nine sacks and a forced fumble. The second-year man out of Purdue is primarily lining up over the opponent’s right tackle, meaning that he will go up against Patriots veteran Michael Onwenu for a majority of his snaps. Onwenu did manage to neutralize Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt last Thursday, and now will face another challenging task. Danna, meanwhile, has 32 disruptions to his name this season, including 6.5 sacks. Lining up opposite of Karlaftis most of the time, he might be going up against a backup this week: with New England left tackle Trent Brown’s status for Sunday in question — he missed Thursday’s practice with an illness — the team might rely on Conor McDermott to man its left tackle spot again. CB L’Jarius Sneed and CB Trent McDuffie: Kansas City has enjoyed some personnel stability this season on both sides of the ball, and starting perimeter cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie are poster boys for this. The two are ranked first and second on the team’s defense with playing time shares of 98.4 and 97.1 percent, respectively, and a big part of coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s plans. Playing on both sides of the field depending on the situation and defensive look, Sneed is ranked first on the team with two interceptions and also has recovered a fumble. Per Pro Football Focus, only 35 of 62 passes thrown his way have been completed — none of which resulting in a touchdown. If there is one negative, it is him getting flagged 15 times already this season. As for McDuffie, his coverage numbers are not quite as impressive as Sneed’s; he has given up 42 catches on 60 targets for 450 yards with two touchdowns. However, the sophomore CB has been a menace as a pass rusher. The Chiefs are 1 of just 3 defenses with more unblocked pressures than the #Patriots this season
The key to KC's success has been Trent McDuffie, who's generated at least twice as many pressures and QB hits as the next closest CB pic.twitter.com/OYP2ExIblZ— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) December 12, 2023 McDuffie is ranked fifth on the Chiefs with 15 total quarterback pressures, including three that resulted in sacks. On top of that production, he also forced five fumbles — first on both the team, and in the league overall.
Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/12/15/2 ... fl-week-15
