***Chiefs vs Patriots Official Game Day Thread - Week 1***

[TopekaRoy]

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!?

[TopekaRoy]

The Kansas City Chiefs



vs.

The New England Patriots



Thursday, September 7, 7:30pm CT
at
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, MA




Television coverage:
USA
NBC


Canada
TSN 1, 3, 4 and 5


United Kingdom
Sky Sports Main event and Sky Sports Action


Australia
7mate and Duke (New Zealand)


Watch Online:
SportsAreFree.xyz NEW!
Wiz1.net

Disclaimer: Links are provided for your convenience. No guarantee is made regarding quality of links or even if they work at all. Use a browser with an adblocker and always make sure your antivirus software is up to date. Use at your own risk.

Before watching any streams please READ THIS important message.

[TopekaRoy]

Stats & Stuff

Weather forecast: 63 degrees farenheit. Partly Cloudy. 7 mph WNW winds.

Line: Patriots -9, Over/Under: 49

Last 5 Head-to-Head:
2015 (Playoffs) Chiefs 20 Pats 27
2014 Chiefs 41 Pats 14
2011 Chiefs 3 Pats 34
2008 Chiefs 10 Pats 17
2005 Chiefs 26 Pats 16

Notable Quotables:
Chiefs:

"You love competition. If you’re in this business that’s what you thrive on. I tell you both sides feel that way. The players that’s why these guys play the game. They want to play against the best."

--Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid

Patriots:

"I have a lot of respect for Andy [Reid], and the Chiefs, and their players, coaches and their organization. They’ve established a strong organization out there in the last four years. I know we’ll have our hands full."

--Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick

Injury Report:

Parker Ehinger	G	Knee	Full Participation in Practice	Doubtful
Reginald Ragland	LB	Knee	Full Participation in Practice	Doubtful
Ronald Parker	S	Ankle	Full Participation in Practice	Questionable

Vincent Valentine	DT	Knee	Did Not Participate In Practice	Doubtful
Nate Ebner	S	Shoulder	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Cameron Fleming	T	Ankle	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Malcolm Mitchell	WR	Knee	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Matthew Slater	WR	Hamstring	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable

[TopekaRoy]

Depth Charts:

Chiefs

OFFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Tyreek Hill	De'Anthony Thomas	Demarcus Robinson
TE	Travis Kelce	Demetrius Harris	Ross Travis
LT	Eric Fisher	Mitchell Schwartz
LG	Bryan Witzmann	Zach Fulton
C	Mitch Morse	Zach Fulton
RG	Laurent Duvernay-Tardif	Jordan Devey
RT	Mitchell Schwartz	Cameron Erving
WR	Chris Conley	Albert Wilson	Jehu Chesson
QB	Alex Smith	Patrick Mahomes II	Tyler Bray
FB	Anthony Sherman
RB	Kareem Hunt	Charcandrick West

BASE 3-4 DEFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
LDE	Allen Bailey	Jarvis Jenkins
NT	Bennie Logan	Roy Miller
RDE	Chris Jones	Rakeem Nunez-Roches
LOLB	Justin Houston	Tanoh Kpassagnon
LILB	Derrick Johnson	Kevin Pierre-Louis	Terrance Smith
RILB	Ramik Wilson	Reggie Ragland	Ukeme Eligwe
ROLB	Dee Ford	Frank Zombo
CB	Phillip Gaines	Terrance Mitchell	Kenneth Acker
SS	Ron Parker Q	Daniel Sorensen
FS	Eric Berry	Eric Murray
CB	Marcus Peters	D.J. White

Patriots

OFFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Brandin Cooks	Malcolm Mitchell Q
WR	Chris Hogan	Phillip Dorsett
LT	Nate Solder	Cameron Fleming Q	Cole Croston
LG	Joe Thuney	Cole Croston
C	David Andrews	Joe Thuney
RG	Shaq Mason	Cole Croston
RT	Marcus Cannon	LaAdrian Waddle
WR	Danny Amendola	Matthew Slater Q
QB	Tom Brady	Jimmy Garoppolo
TE	Rob Gronkowski	Dwayne Allen	Jacob Hollister
RB	Dion Lewis	James White	Rex Burkhead	Mike Gillislee

BASE 4-3 DEFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
LDE	Lawrence Guy	Harvey Langi
LDT	Alan Branch	Vincent Valentine
RDT	Malcom Brown	Adam Butler
RDE	Trey Flowers	Cassius Marsh	Deatrich Wise
WLB	Kyle Van Noy	Marquis Flowers
MLB	David Harris	Elandon Roberts
SLB	Dont'a Hightower	Kyle Van Noy
CB	Adam Butler	Eric Rowe	Johnson Bademosi
SS	Patrick Chung	Jordan Richards
FS	Devin McCourty	Duron Harmon	Nate Ebner
CB	Stephon Gilmore	Jonathan Jones

Expert Picks from CBSSports.com:


Prisco's Pick:

Pete Prisco.jpg

The Patriots should have an explosive offense again, even without Julian Edelman. The Chiefs have a good defense, but they won't be able to slow down Tom Brady and they sure can't keep up. Patriots big.

Patriots 27 Chiefs 13

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs vs. Patriots: Game Preview
From Chiefs.com

Posted Sep 6, 2017

Matt McMullen Chiefs Reporter Chiefs.com @KCChiefs_Matt

The Chiefs kickoff the season on Thursday night

It’s here.

After months of patient anticipation and waiting, the Kansas City Chiefs will finally take the field on Thursday night as they kickoff the 2017 NFL season against the New England Patriots.

The Patriots are once again the defending Super Bowl Champions, framing a fitting beginning to the 2017 campaign for Kansas City. The Chiefs have lofty goals this season, coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, and will tackle those right out of the gate against the defending champions in prime time.

The numbers back up the prestige of the game, as Thursday’s bout pits the two winningest teams in the NFL over the past two seasons against one another. Since the beginning of 2015, Kansas City’s 23 regular season victories are second only to New England’s 26.

The two teams have faced off twice since Head Coach Andy Reid took the reins in 2013, with each team winning once. The Chiefs won the first matchup in 2014, 41-14, on Monday Night Football at Arrowhead Stadium. Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady threw two interceptions, including a pick-six to safety Husain Abdullah, as New England suffered its worst loss since 2003. Chiefs’ quarterback Alex Smith posted a 144.4 passer rating in that game, the highest mark New England has allowed since 2010.

The Patriots came out on top in the second meeting, 27-20, in the Divisional round of the 2015 playoffs.

Time has passed since both meetings, though some constants remain the same.

Reid and Patriots’ Head Coach Bill Belichick still man their posts on the sidelines, and at a historically good rate. Belichick currently ranks fourth in NFL history with 225 career wins (including the postseason), while Reid ranks 10th with 184 victories. They’re the only two active coaches in the Top 25.

The signal callers also remain the same, as Smith and Brady are still under center at quarterback for their respective teams, and few passers have led their teams to victory as much as these two. Since 2011, Brady’s 72 wins lead the NFL while Smith’s 60 wins rank third.



Beyond the coaches and quarterbacks, though, quite a bit has changed since these teams last met, and it all starts with the playmakers.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill took the league by storm last season as a rookie, and he’ll look to build on that success as he becomes an even bigger part of Kansas City’s offense this season.

Hill was especially adept at playing under the lights last year, scoring seven of his 12 touchdowns in prime time games.

Tight end Travis Kelce was also at his best on the big stage, hauling in 29 catches for 385 yards and two touchdowns in four prime time games last season. Though Kelce was around for the first two meetings with New England, he’s taken his game to a new level since.

The fifth-year tight end put together his best season as a professional last year, amassing 1,120 yards through the air on 85 catches. Since Week 11 of last season, Kelce leads the NFL in receiving with 659 yards.

Kelce was particularly skilled in the open field, logging the third-most yards after the catch in the NFL with 653. That creates an interesting matchup on Thursday night, as the Patriots allowed the fewest yards after the catch in the league last season.



While Hill, Kelce and third-year receiver Chris Conley will account for the majority of Kansas City’s passing game, rookie running back Kareem Hunt will line up in the backfield.

Hunt, the Chiefs’ third-round pick in the 2016 Draft, will look to establish Kansas City’s running game along with Charcandrick West. In both of New England’s losses last season, they allowed at least 95 yards on the ground.

The Chiefs have their work cut out for them, as the Patriots posted the best scoring defense in the NFL last season, but Kansas City’s variety of playmakers on offense could create problems for New England’s defenders.

Defensively, the Chiefs will look to contain a high-powered New England offense.

Though Brady is one of the best at his craft, the Chiefs had a knack for slowing down opposing quarterbacks last season. Kansas City held opposing signal callers to a 79.8 passer rating in 2016, the third-best mark in the NFL, and didn’t allow an opposing quarterback to post a rating over 75.0 through the Chiefs’ final five games (including the postseason).



That translated into results, as Kansas City trotted out the seventh-best scoring defense in the NFL last season.

The Chiefs will need to maintain that form on Thursday night against a Patriots offense that has its fair share of playmakers. New England lost its leading receiver from last season, Julian Edelman, to a torn ACL this preseason, but the Patriots still feature a variety of weapons offensively, notably tight end Rob Gronkowksi.

One way to prevent those playmakers from getting the ball in their hands is to make Brady uncomfortable. Linebacker Justin Houston, who played just eight snaps in Kansas City’s loss to New England two years ago, is healthy and capable of creating havoc in the backfield. Messing with Brady’s timing could be the difference between a completion and a turnover.

The key to slowing down New England’s attack could very well come down to turnovers, which introduces another interesting comparison between the two teams. The Chiefs forced the most turnovers in the NFL last season with 33, while the Patriots committed just 11, tied for the fewest in the league.

When a pair of teams are as evenly matched as these two appear to be, just one turnover could prove critical.

Luckily for the Chiefs, they have one of the best in the business when it comes to taking the ball away from the offense, as cornerback Marcus Peters leads the NFL in interceptions over the last two seasons with 14.

The Patriots are the defending champions for a reason, but if Kansas City can play its game – an efficient, mistake-free offense combined with a sound, tenacious defense – there’s no reason the Chiefs can’t spoil the party in Foxborough on Thursday night.

[TopekaRoy]

Game Preview from ESPN.com

Brady, Patriots begin title defense against Chiefs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It was back before the start of training camp, with expectations high, that Julian Edelman labeled talk of a perfect 19-0 New England Patriots season as "stupid."

On Thursday night, the Patriots begin their quest for a sixth title in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era when the Kansas City Chiefs come calling, and they will have to seek another title without Edelman.

Brady's ultra-talented slot receiver, he of that unreal catch in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, sustained a non-contact ACL tear of his right knee in an Aug. 25 preseason game. He is gone for the year, but Brady has tight end Rob Gronkowski back, and deals were made to bring in wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Phillip Dorsett.

Dorsett, a former first-round draft pick, was just acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who had the game of his professional life in the preseason finale.

"He's a pretty talented player," Belichick said of Dorsett on Sunday, after the Patriots made a flurry of moves to get their roster of 53 almost set. "He was a first-round draft pick. We'll see. We'll start working with him today and see how it goes.

Don't forget, Dorsett will be working with Brady, who recently turned 40 with no end in sight.

The Chiefs were a 12-4 playoff team last season, dropping an 18-16 home playoff decision to the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is no easy opener, the game to be played after the Patriots unveil their fifth banner (they had to redo the top of Gillette Stadium to make it fit).

"You love it. You love competition," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Sunday. "If you're in this business, that's what you thrive on, and I'd tell you both sides feel that way. The players, that's why they play the game. They want to play against the best.

"You want to coach against the best -- that's a beautiful thing."

Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston feels the same way, saying, "I think it's a great opportunity, not only to see where we're at, but just our mindset. It's going to a great atmosphere, it's going to be loud -- pretty much like a playoff atmosphere when you go there. We're going to see where we're at mentally and where we're at on the field."

Asked what he might have to do to handle Brady, Houston laughed and said the Chiefs have to hit him, adding, "Because the ball comes out so fast, he's a smart guy. My main thing is the defense, don't lose confidence in what you got going on because he's going to make plays. It's Tom Brady. Just got to stay together through four quarters."

Brady, aging like a fine wine, is 101-17 at Gillette, where Belichick is a mere 110-26.

"There will definitely be nerves and being anxious," Brady said Monday, "but once you get out there, those things calm down."

The New England roster continued to be in a state of flux Monday with running back/special teamer Brandon Bolden brought back after being released Saturday. He is taking the roster spot of Shea McClellin, who was placed on injured reserve but is a candidate to return during the season.

WEEI.com reported Monday that defensive lineman Vincent Valentine, who missed the last three practices leading up to the preseason finale and then the game against the New York Giants, would not play in the opener.

Neither Valentine nor Patriots offensive tackle Cameron Fleming practiced Monday, while tight end Travis Kelce was among those limited for the Chiefs.

The Patriots also lost punt returner Cyrus Jones for the season to a knee injury. Danny Amendola will slide into that spot.

Amendola said Monday he loves returning punts, comparing it to playing on the highway.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, not the most popular person in New England, is scheduled to be at the opener, which would mark his second visit to Gillette already this year.

In case you missed it, Goodell suspended Brady for the first four games of last season for the Deflategate drama, and Brady returned with fire in his eyes.

The Chiefs have never won at Gillette Stadium, and they haven't beaten the Patriots in Foxborough in five tries dating back to their last win in 1998.

It was against the Chiefs in the 2008 opener that Brady was lost for the season with a knee injury.

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs game plan: Scouting the New England Patriots
From The Kansas City Star

Red Zone The Chiefs and NFL by beat writer Terez Paylor

September 6, 2017 8:00 PM

A detailed look at the key players and matchups for the Chiefs-Patriots game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The game will air on NBC (Ch. 41 in Kansas City).

Scheme

Coach: Bill Belichick (237-115) is in his 23rd year as an NFL head coach, and his 18th with New England. Belichick, 65, took over in 2000 and hasn’t had a losing season since his first year. Has won at least 12 games a year since 2010 and won five Super Bowls, the most of any head coach in NFL history.

Offense: Josh McDaniels is in his ninth year as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, and his sixth year in his second stint following a two-year run as the Denver Broncos’ head coach. McDaniels, 41, relies heavily on the short-to-intermediate passing game and power running to move the ball. The Patriots also use lots of shotgun and ranked fourth in the league in passing last year (269.2 yards per game) and seventh in the league in rushing (117.0).

Defense: Matt Patricia, 42, is in his sixth year as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator. Belichick, a defensive wizard, still plays an active role on defense, but Patricia is his right-hand man and has played a role in guiding one of the league’s best defenses. The Patriots regularly mix fronts and will play a 4-3, 3-4, 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 depending on the opponent and/or situation. The Patriots ranked 12th in the league vs. the pass (237.9 yards per game) and third in the league vs. the run (88.6) a year ago.

Special teams: Joe Judge, 35, is in his third year as the Patriots’ special-teams coach. Judge spent three seasons as the team’s special-teams assistant before earning a promotion in 2015. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski is among the league’s best, while punter Ryan Allen will be charged with keeping the Chiefs’ Pro Bowl return man, Tyreek Hill, out of the mix. The Pats ranked near the top of the league in opponents’ kick-return (third) and punt-return averages (second) — thanks in large part to stud special teams ace Matthew Slater — but were in the bottom half of the league in those categories themselves, and their returners struggled with ball security at times.

Four keys to a Chiefs victory

1. Take some downfield shots

Belichick has a well-earned reputation for taking away the thing teams want to do the most. For the Chiefs, that means choking off the running game and Andy Reid’s beloved short passing game. The Patriots are good at stopping the former — teams barely averaged 88 yards per game against them last year — so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see New England force quarterback Alex Smith to beat them up top. Smith has a reputation for playing conservatively, but the Chiefs have diligently practiced the deep passing game for the better part of two years now. For this team to take the next step, it needs to connect on more of those shots. No better time than the present.

2. Secondary options must step up

The last time these two teams met, in the 2016 AFC divisional round, the Patriots put lots of bodies around stud tight end Travis Kelce, chipping him at the line of scrimmage and bracketing him with defenders when it was appropriate. It’s not crazy to think they’ll do the same this year, which means someone else on offense — paging Tyreek Hill — needs to step up Thursday in a big way. Hill offers game-breaking speed and could be a matchup problem for cornerback Malcolm Butler, who is a stud but runs a 4.62 40. It’s more likely Hill sees newly-acquired speedster Stephon Gilmore, a darn good corner himself. If the Pats take away Hill and Kelce, it will be up to the secondary options — like Chris Conley, Albert Wilson, Demetrius Harris and the running backs — to make them pay and outplay the Patriots’ support players. If they don’t, moving the ball could be tough sledding.

3. Win 1-on-1 matchups up front

The key to beating New England is affecting star quarterback Tom Brady. The problem is, that’s easier said than done since the Patriots only yielded 24 sacks last year, the fifth-fewest in the league. However, it is a must if the Chiefs want to win. Brady is so smart and quick with the football, blitzing relentlessly would be a foolhardy endeavor. So that means players in the Chiefs’ front seven — Justin Houston, Dee Ford, Bennie Logan, Allen Bailey and Chris Jones — will need to bring it. If these guys don’t win their individual matchups, it will be a long night in Foxborough. The good news is that all have flashed pass-rush ability, and if Houston is healthy — and he says he is — he’s someone the Patriots will need to account for, which will open up lanes and opportunities for the others. The Chiefs failed to pressure Brady much the last time they met, and they can’t afford to go down the same way again.

4. Stay mentally tough

Here’s the thing about playing great quarterbacks — they’re going to do great things, even when they aren’t supposed to. That means there will be a few instances Thursday where the Chiefs dial up the correct defense, only to see Brady shred it, anyway. The Chiefs will have to stay tough on defense in those moments, but the good news is it seems like their defensive leaders — Houston, Eric Berry and Derrick Johnson — are all on the same page about that, as all embraced the importance of staying tough under fire Thursday.

Four Patriots to watch

No. 12, QB Tom Brady, 40 years old, 6-4, 225, 18th season

Ranked No. 1 on the NFL’s list of top 100 players for 2017. Completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 3,554 yards, 28 touchdowns and two interceptions in 12 games in 2016. Second-team All-Pro in 2016. Team captain. Five-time Super Bowl champion who rarely gets rattled. “He’s like a robot,” Berry said. Is outstanding presnap; identifies defenses with ease. Throws with excellent anticipation and touch. Gets the ball out extremely quick and has the RPMs to get the ball wherever he needs to. Outstanding decision-maker who rarely gets fooled. Does a nice job sliding around the pocket but is not a threat to hurt you with his legs. Can be affected by pressure, but if you blitz him, he’ll make you pay more often than not.

No. 87, TE Rob Gronkowski, 28 years old, 6-6, 265, 8th season

Ranked No. 23 on the NFL’s list of top 100 players for 2017. Recorded 25 catches for 540 yards and three touchdowns in eight games in 2016. Team captain. Missed most of last season because of a back injury, but when healthy is largely considered to be the game’s best tight end. Large target with excellent ball skills. Red-zone threat who can outleap and outmuscle defenders. Doesn’t run past people but does a nice job using his body to block out defenders. Very strong, competitive runner after the catch. Tough, physical blocker who competes and is not a liability in an area where tight ends rarely shine. High-motor player who is largely peerless when on the field.

No. 54, ILB Dont’a Hightower, 27 years old, 6-3, 265, 6th season

Ranked No. 94 on the NFL’s list of top 100 players for 2017. Recorded 65 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks and two pass deflections in 13 games in 2016. Second-team All-Pro in 2016. Team captain. Good blitzer who gives good effort and shows a knack for getting home. Strong, disciplined run defender who packs a punch when he gets there. Physical presence who does his best work in the box. Strong vocal leader who anchors the Patriots’ defense. Solid and instinctive in zone. Has good athleticism, but his hips are a little tight, so speedy tight ends can give him issues in man.

No. 21, CB Malcolm Butler, 27 years old, 5-11, 190, 4th season

Ranked No. 99 on the NFL’s list of top 100 players for 2017. Recorded 63 tackles, 17 pass deflections and four interceptions in 16 games in 2016. Second-team All-Pro in 2016. Super Bowl hero from 2014 is a feisty, competitive corner who does some of his best work in press coverage. Loves to put his hands on receivers and plays with an edge. Flashes ball skills and is a willing hitter. Top-end speed is only okay — he ran a 4.62 40-yard dash at his pro day three years ago — but is an ideal corner to match vs. bigger receivers.

Prediction: Patriots 27-16

The Chiefs have to contend with a lot Thursday. Not only are the Patriots 3-0 on Thursdays when opening a season, New England will also be raising its fifth Super Bowl banner in front of a frenzied crowd and a nationwide audience. Add in the fact Brady is 52-1 at home since 2007 against AFC opponents and it’s difficult to give the Chiefs the edge here. But don’t completely count these guys out. No one is giving a team that went 12-4 last year a chance to win the game. That’s fertile grounds for the “no one believed in us” win.

[jason1981]

Man this sucks. Just moced a few weeks ago to a new apartment and still waiting for google fiber to come install it. Going to have to go to find a place to watch the game like buffalo wild wings. Which is my sons favorite place to eat and hes a patriots fan. Tom Brady is his favorite player. So if patriots win then its still a win for me cuz tomorrow is his birthday so il just count it as his birthday present that he got buffalo wild wings and a patriot win. A win win for me. Lol

[kcvet]

Man this sucks. Just moced a few weeks ago to a new apartment and still waiting for google fiber to come install it. Going to have to go to find a place to watch the game like buffalo wild wings. Which is my sons favorite place to eat and hes a patriots fan. Tom Brady is his favorite player. So if patriots win then its still a win for me cuz tomorrow is his birthday so il just count it as his birthday present that he got buffalo wild wings and a patriot win. A win win for me. Lol

2 weeks is to long pal. raise some hell

[kcvet]

spot on TR take a raise outta petty cash