Time for the Kansas City Chiefs to make a statement

Thursday’s nationally-televised game opener presents such a challenge. New England, fresh off of the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, will begin its defense against a team many think could eventually present a challenge to their seemingly uncontested run at the conference championship game. In recent years, the teams have split games on their home fields. Thursday’s tilt could reveal Kansas City’s readiness to oppose New England for the conference’s top seed.

What could a road win against the defending champions do for the confidence of the Chiefs? Winning in Foxboro’s no small feat, so it could certainly rinse the taste of a disappointing postseason appearance out of their mouths. It would also give the Chiefs the tiebreaker over the team most NFL pundits expect to repeat as the conference’s top seed. Beating the Patriots in their own backyard, in Week 1, could prove to be a catalyst for Kansas City.

Much of it will depend on the attitude the Chiefs take into the game. In 2014, the 1-2 Chiefs had no respect of character when the Patriots came to town. They trounced New England in a 41-14 drubbing in another nationally-televised game on Monday Night Football. Some would argue that game is what ultimately sparked the Pats’ Super Bowl run that season. Kansas City will need that swagger again on Thursday night.