Chiefs’ scouting report: Patriots coming off one of their best offensive showings
Program reminder: the Chiefs’ next game will be Sunday instead of Monday as was originally scheduled.
The NFL flexed the Chiefs-Patriots game out of “Monday Night Football” late last month because New England had little chance of making the playoffs.
Now the Patriots, 3-10, have zero chance at the postseason. They were officially eliminated on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean they’ll simply roll over for the Chiefs.
Each week, I take an early look at the Chiefs’ next opponent, and here is a quick scouting report of the Patriots. Kickoff is at noon Sunday, and the game will air on WDAF (Ch. 4).
1. A glimmer of hope?
New England has the worst scoring offense in the NFL, and they’ve scored fewer than 10 points in five games and been shut out twice.
However, the Patriots scored three touchdowns in Thursday’s 21-18 win at Pittsburgh, just the third time they’ve done that in a game this season.
Bradley Zappe has replaced Mac Jones as New England’s quarterback, and he completed 19 of 28 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns. That included this one to tight end Hunter Henry.
Zappe to the TE for a second time on TNF!@baileyzappe04 | @Hunter_Henry84
: #NEvsPIT on @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/uRhLWtWcn2— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 8, 2023
The NFL’s Next Gen Stats noted Zappe, who has made two starts, has two completions of 25-plus air yards this season, while Jones had none. Jones has started 11 games.
It wasn’t all good Thursday, as the Patriots’ second-half possessions were five punts and an interception. Still, after putting up 13 total points in the previous three games, Thursday had to feel like a scoring barrage.
2. A Super Bowl champion
This will be the first time the Chiefs will go against wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster since he helped them win Super Bowl LVII.
Smith-Schuster signed with New England as a free agent earlier this year. He has 29 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown in 11 games. He’s coming off his best game with four catches and 90 receiving yards against the Steelers.
Fellow receiver Demario Douglas (36 receptions, team-best 410 receiving yards) missed the last two games while in the concussion protocol. Kendrick Bourne (team-high 37 catches with 406 receiving yards) is out for the season because of an ACL injury.
Henry has caught 35 passes for 353 yards and five touchdowns.
3. Remember Zeke?
With running back Rhamondre Stevenson out because of a high-ankle sprain, Ezekiel Elliott had his best game of the season Thursday.
Elliott, a two-time rushing champion with the Cowboys, ran for 68 yards in 22 attempts and had a team-high seven receptions for 72 yards with a touchdown.
New England is averaging 4.0 yards per carry, which ranks 22nd in the NFL.
4. Red-zone success
Despite having the worst scoring offense in the NFL, the Patriots have been fairly successful in the red zone.
They have scored touchdowns on 57.7% of their trips inside the 20-yard line, which is 13th in the NFL, ahead of the Chiefs and Cowboys. The trouble, as you may have guessed, is moving the ball into the red zone.
New England has been in the red zone just 26 times, which is last in the NFL.
5. Top-10 defense
The Patriots have allowed the ninth-fewest yards per game (306.9), but they are rank 14th in points allowed.
New England is third in rushing defense, giving up 88.2 yards per game, although they have allowed 10 touchdowns on the ground this season.
Defensive end Christian Barmore has a team-high 4 1/2 sacks, while Ja’Whaun Bentley and Matt Judon each have four. All three players have nine quarterback hits.
