The two top seeded teams in the AFC will battle it out for conference championship this Sunday. The New England Patriots (No. 2 seed) head to the Arrowhead Stadium to compete against the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 1 seed). There are many different ways to breakdown the game, so here is a preview of what to look for, and how it may affect who goes to the Super Bowl.
The matchup should be exciting as the veteran Tom Brady goes head to head with MVP front-runner Patrick Mahomes.
Patrick Mahomes. (Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Tom Brady threw for 4,355 yards and 29 touchdowns in his 19th season, showing he is still a dominant signal caller in the NFL. Brady is coming off an excellent performance in the Divisional Round, scoring a passer rating of 106.5. Hoping to have a similar performance in the AFC title game, Brady looks to head back to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years.
Only in his sophomore season, Patrick Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns, breaking multiple records in the process. While making history, Mahomes has made himself the front-runner for season MVP. After displaying dominance against the Colts in the divisional playoff game, Mahomes looks to defeat the Patriots next.
Tom Brady is arguably the best quarterback of all time, and Patrick Mahomes is looking to be his successor. The AFC Championship Game will be the second time this season the two will display their talents against each other. After the Patriots walked away with a 43-40 victory, Mahomes will try to settle the score and move on to Superbowl 53.
The Patriots are the visiting team for the game but, they are not on foreign ground. The 2019 season is the eighth consecutive year the Patriots will be competing for the AFC title.
Tom Brady
(Sports Illustrated)
In addition, Tom Brady is 13-2 in playoff games that take place in cold weather. According to multiple weather forecasts, it is expected to be approximately six degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff. This puts Tom Brady and the Patriots in a great position to win, even being away from Foxborough.
Although Tom Brady performs well in the cold, the Patriots have lost their last three AFC championship games that were on the road. The Patriots have also struggled during away games going 3-5.
The Patriots may have the advantage of playing in cold weather, but not being in Foxborough effects their chances dramatically.
The Kansas City Chiefs defense has struggled throughout the season, ranking 31st overall in the league. With the Patriots ranking fifth in offense, the Chiefs’ defense is going to have a tough match-up.
Chiefs Defense. (Photo Courtesy of USA Today)
Although the Chiefs are ranked near last in defense, the team had a stellar defensive performance in the divisional round. Holding the Indianapolis Colts to only 6 offensive points, the Chiefs defense has proved to be able to stop a powerful offense.
For the Chiefs to have a chance in the AFC title game, their defense will have to slow down Tom Brady and the high-powered Patriots’ offense.
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