Chiefs @ Pats

[Vin+ 3,121]

http://hosted.stats.com/fb/preview.asp?g=20170907017&home=17&vis=12

 

(TSX / STATS) -- 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.

 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, football is here.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Vin

[Sparty 110]

Pats in a blowout (snoozefest).

 

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[Sparty 110]

55 points isn't a snoozefest.

 

I think they give the KC fans hope

Till halfway through the 3rd qtr, or halfway through 4th

Uh, yeah it is. Especially if some of those of points are in garbage time...

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

KC is going to get utterly hatefucked by NE.

 

Tom Brady is going to solve that Chiefs defense by the second quarter, and there's no way KC's offense puts up enough points.

 

Pats shut down Kelce and the big play factor in Hill on ST's and it'll be wrap.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Bernard Pollard comes out of retirement and breaks Tom Brady's leg, ending his career. Jimmy Garapollo's amazing career begins.

 

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[Vin+ 3,121]

 

Patriots declared WR Matthew Slater, S Nate Ebner, TE Jacob Hollister, LB Harvey Langi, OT Cameron Fleming, OL Cole Croston and DT Vincent Valentine inactive for Week 1 against the Chiefs.

The Patriots are going with a full house at running back, while Phillip Dorsett is active for his New England debut. Special teams ace Slater is battling an ankle injury.

Source: Mike Reiss on Twitter

 

 

 

 

Chiefs declared QB Tyler Bray, DL Jarvis Jenkins, OL Parker Ehinger, LB Reggie Ragland and CB D.J. White inactive for Week 1 against the Patriots.

S Ron Parker, who was questionable with an ankle injury, is active. Bray will spend every week as one of the Chiefs' seven inactives unless injury befalls Alex Smith or Patrick Mahomes.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Man I really wish the Eagles would have drafted Kareem Hunt.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Man, Phil's not having a good couple of weeks.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Man I really wish the Eagles would have drafted Kareem Hunt.

No kidding. The packers drafted three backs but they could've gotten away with taking one if they picked the right guy. lol

[BwareDWare94 723]

Who saw that coming?

[Cherry 1,302]

Is Kareem Hunt ELITE???

 

Remember that first game of season decides season. Trevor Siemian earned his poise that way.

[blotsfan 2,112]

I can't wait for all the "Is Tom Brady Washed Up?" hot takes before the Patriots win their next 15.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Who saw that coming?

He was my favorite RB in the draft.

[BwareDWare94 723]

The Pats will be fine but they definitely miss Edelman, and not surprisingly Amendola is already hurt. He can't take that slot role. And neither can Gronk. The Pats will need to be a more vertical team this year passing wise.

[BJORN 679]

Superbowl was a fluke, Brady is finished

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Week 1 is strange.

[seanbrock 1,684]

How is it strange that anyone loses to KC? Lol That 27 points the Patriots hung on KC with all those injuries at receiver is going to look pretty impressive in a couple weeks.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

You're right, nothing strange about the most points and yards given up by the Patriots in the Belichick/Brady era.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Seems like they missed Hightower a lot in the 4th but honestly, trading away and letting go of all those front seven players has clearly really hurt their pass rush. Alex Smith had like at least five seconds in the pocket seemingly every time he dropped back. This will be an issue for them all year. They're going to make adjustments because they're the Patriots but as much as I like their secondary, they're very thin up front.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

How is it strange that anyone loses to KC? Lol That 27 points the Patriots hung on KC with all those injuries at receiver is going to look pretty impressive in a couple weeks.

 

It was only the 2nd time that they have lost to an AFC foe at home in a DECADE. It was very strange.

 

Also, I loved Kareem Hunt more than just about anybody... but I would be lying if I said I was expecting him to go off like that.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

Everyone wants to ride the Chiefs dicks but lets pump the brakes.

 

 

One. How many of you have seen the Pats defense play this bad? In your lifetime, think of a Pats defense that has EVER played as bad in one game as they did last night.

 

You can see the inexperience and lack of depth, lack of everything from the first snap. Hightower, Butler and McCourty were the only saving graces on that squad starting... and everywhere else there were question marks.

 

Watching the Pats put in guys that couldn't even execute simple assignments without blowing coverage was painful, not a Hoodie defense by any means. I'm not making excuses, but fucking Brock Osweiler could've carved up that defense.

 

Chiefs and Andy Reid are the definition of taking what the defense gives you and they did. They didn't do anything special, no crazy playcalls. Reid kept beating the absolute dogshit out of the Pats in the seams and pounded them with zone runs that the Pats backers... had no idea what the fuck to do. Pats front was getting manhandled at the LOS as well.

 

Offensively, the Pats without Edelman is a factor. It's not the end of the world. But when you have Berry taking out Gronk and Cooks essentially still learning the playbook... someone has to step up, and nobody did. Hogan was nowhere to be found and as many backs the Pats have.. The Chiefs were not letting the Pats dink and dunk. Forcing Brady into long third downs that he needed somebody to get separation... and nobody stepped up... leaving the Chiefs pass rush to feast.

 

 

All of you laugh and what not at the Pats losing, but this loss could kick them into a furious run. Sure, they might not be as good as they have been in the past decade... but as long as they are in the AFC East... they have an easy road to the playoffs where it matters.

 

 

As for the Chiefs. I hope they celebrate this win thinking they are hot shit...

 

They lost the best player on their defense last night for the season and they have a long road ahead.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Let's not forget that the Chiefs pwnt the Pats 41-14 on MNF a couple years ago.