Pats Cast Episode 5: Patriots Prepare for Mahomes and the Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes might be the best player in the NFL, but the Patriots never make things easy for him. (Photo: Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire)

Now that the Kansas City Chiefs have knocked off the Baltimore Ravens, football fans are left to wonder if any other team is equipped to beat the defending champions.

Perhaps it's a hot take, but I think there's a decent argument that the Patriots are among the top challengers, even without Tom Brady.

Check out my new podcast episode, explaining why I think the Patriots have a chance to upset the Chiefs on Sunday, as well as other recent and ongoing roster developments.

Links to podcast via Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

As you likely know, the Patriots ran for 250 yards last week against the Raiders, and Cam Newton has performed similarly to his early years in the NFL to begin this season.

The upgrades the team has made at wide receiver are also noticeable, and the defensive backs are as strong as they've been in recent years – Russell Wilson's performance notwithstanding.

Perhaps most importantly, although the Patriots have lost substantial talent at linebacker, they've replaced it with extra reps for defensive backs, and in turn more team speed. That's an essential component towards containing Kansas City's offense.

As long as the offense performs at a level closer to 2018 and prior, as opposed to the way it did against the Chiefs in 2019, and the defense doesn't struggle more than it typically does, I see no reason why the Patriots can't keep this game close. And if it's close, how many coaches do you trust more than Bill Belichick?