Chiefs at Patriots: Writers predictions for Week 15 defensive showdown

Thank goodness, gameday is finally here again. The Kansas City Chiefs are in the league's doghouse following their reaction to officiating in the Buffalo Bills loss. The team had a week to look inward and see what they did right and wrong last week, and the season as a whole. An East Coast trip to Foxborough, Massachusetts, offers the Chiefs a chance to get right against a lesser opponent and reinsert themselves into the Super Bowl conversation.

The path to a Kansas City victory is similar to other matchups this season, but the Chiefs consistently find a way to beat themselves. What does Kansas City need to do against New England? Who will be available for Sunday's early game? Our writers look at all that and more, predicting the final result of the Week 15 matchup.

Tyler Brown
Yes, the New England Patriots showed some life for the first time in several weeks, taking down the currently playoff-bound Pittsburgh Steelers. There is no mistake about it, though. This is a bottom-five team in football. The Chiefs offense has showed life the past few weeks, in terms of moving the football but the Patriots still have a top-10 defense led by Bill Belichick. Having said that, I think the Chiefs win.
Chiefs 24, Patriots 13

Price Carter
The Chiefs don't come off of back-to-back losses often but when they do they've been dominant. The Chiefs' offense makes it hard to call for some sort of blowout but the Chiefs' defense should not have any issues with Bailey Zappe and the Patriots' offense. The score in this game will likely be closer than it actually is.
Chiefs 24, Patriots 14

Matt Conner

Mahomes is angry. Reid is out of patience. There’s finally a sense of desperation here on the part of players and coaches, and the Chiefs have needed something to galvanize them more than anything else this year. They’ve found it and now that the schedule is soft, it’s gonna feel like modern warfare against primitive defenses.
Chiefs 32, Patriots 6

Jacob Milham
Looking at the difference in these teams' records, you would think this would be Kansas City's scorched-earth win. The Patriots offense is awful, but the defense has allowed 11 points on average across their last four games. This will be another test for the stagnant Kansas City offense. This game should not come down to a late penalty flag though.
Chiefs 23, Patriots 10

Stacy Smith
The Kansas City Chiefs are desperate for a win after dropping two straight in as many weeks. The New England Patriots are one of the worst teams in the National Football League this season. If ever there was a get-well game in the NFL, it's Week 15 for Kansas City. The Patriots are losers of five of their last six, scoring seven or fewer points in three of those contests. KC's still a bit banged up, but getting both Leo Chenal and Drue Tranquill back on defense. The offense showed enough last week against Buffalo that they should be a bit more consistent in this game. Boys in red win.
Chiefs 24, Patriots 13

Lucas Strozinsky

The Chiefs need a get-right game in the worst way. The Patriots have a good defense but there's no reason to trust Bailey Zappe. If the Chiefs lose this game, they might as well pack it in.

Chiefs 20, Patriots 10

Grant Tuttle
The Chiefs looked more functional on offense last week, even if it did result in a loss that was very similar to what we’ve grown accustomed to. If there was ever a chance for the Chiefs to “get right,” it would be this week. If they somehow underperform against the pathetic and putrid Patriots, it’s time to question whether the Chiefs can win a game in the playoffs.
Chiefs 34, Patriots 10