New England Patriots: Run Sony Michel relentlessly vs. Chiefs
Entering the AFC Championship Game, the New England Patriots have the experience advantage, but they need to rely heavily on rookie Sony Michel.
As the New England Patriots trounced the Los Angeles Chargers in the Divisional Round of the 2019 NFL Playoffs, Bill Belichick used his running backs heavily. James White tied a postseason record for receptions in a game (15), though he didn’t notch a single carry in the game. Meanwhile, rookie Sony Michel was the star on the ground for the Patriots.
New England’s second of two first-round picks from the most recent NFL Draft lit up the Chargers throughout the game, rushing 24 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns, also adding a reception for nine yards as well. Despite the Chargers solid run defense, Belichick looked to Michel often with LA playing with a defensive-back heavy defensive scheme for most of the game.
It’s far from a secret that Belichick is a mastermind when it comes to exploiting weaknesses of opposing teams. Even when it comes to the strongest teams, he has a way of finding a slight crack in the armor and making it the size of a canyon.
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Against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, they already have a canyon in front of them that they can break open into a cataclysmic event.
While the Chiefs defense showed up big against the Colts and while their pass defense has been better than many think, the Kansas City run defense has been abysmal in a very real way. The Chiefs ranked last in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ Rush Defense DVOA, and by a wide margin at that. This is something that Belichick and the Patriots can attack.
Behind an offensive line that, despite losing Isaiah Wynn at the beginning of the season, has performed well all season in New England, Tom Brady needs to turn and feed Michel throughout the AFC Championship Game. Not only has the rookie proven that he can control a game on the ground just a week ago, but he has the best matchup on the field, bar none.
Even better for the Patriots, they can parlay a commitment to Michel against the Chiefs into more offense. With an early hot start from the rookie back, the play action game will open up, which is Brady’s money and always has been. Thus, this is an ideal matchup for the New England offense.
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I have my doubts about how the Patriots defense will perform against this Chiefs offense given the speed Kansas City possesses. However, if the Pats commit to Michel and allow him to control the game flow and gash the Chiefs porous run defense, that’s best case scenario for Belichick’s team.
The weakness is there, now the Patriots need to do as they’re privy to and go after it time and time again.