New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Ezekiel Elliott Among ‘3 To Watch’

As the New England Patriots prepare to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15, Patriots Country highlights three players on whom Pats fans might want to watch.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots will attempt to make their mark in the win column for the second straight week on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.

This Week 15 matchup will mark the first meeting between the former AFC rivals since 2020. The Chiefs took a 26-10 victory in that game, which was moved from Sunday to Monday during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ironically, Sunday’s game also expended a change in date, having been originally scheduled for Monday night. As such, the Patriots earned the inauspicious distinction of being the first team to be displaced from their spot on Monday Night Football. 

While the Patriots (3-10) enter this game on the heels of a 21-18 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chiefs (8-5) suffered a hard-luck 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Though many Patriots players are expected to garner some attention during Sunday’s matchup, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Chiefs.

Ezekiel Elliott

With Rhamondre Stevenson once again sidelined due to an ankle injury, Elliott will get the start at running back against the defending Super Bowl champions. His performance against the Steelers reminded his detractors that he is still capable of success on early downs. However, it is his ability to be a game changer as a red zone / goal-line option which makes him most valuable against the Chiefs defense. Last season, Elliott led the NFL in red zone rushing attempts with 59. 31 of those 59 came inside the ten-yard line, and 12 of them came inside the five-yard line. He had 11 touchdowns inside the 20. Unsurprisingly, he also led the NFL with 162 rushing yards in the red zone. Elliott would undoubtedly like to showcase his prowess at Kansas City’s expense on Sunday. 

New England Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott / Cred: NBC Sports Images

Demario Douglas

Having missed the Pats’ previous two contests while in concussion protocol, Douglas has been cleared and should see action against the Chiefs. The Pats shiftiness and speed make him one of the most explosive playmakers on the roster. As such, he can offer a significant upgrade to their gameplan on offense. Despite his 5-8, 180-pound frame, he is most effective out of the slot in short yardage. In order to compensate for the usual height differential with his opponent, he has developed a knack of anticipating defenders attacking him — a strategy which has served him well to date. However, he also has the skill set to evades tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. As a result, the rookie's acceleration and speed may be essential to helping Bailey Zappe and the Pats offense put the Chiefs on their heels early —especially if their defense mistakenly plays him in soft coverage. With KC's defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's penchant for deploying the blitz, Douglas has both the quickness and precision to be a productive target for Zappe in Week 15. 

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Anfernee Jennings 

At his best, Jennings is a stout run-defender who adequately sets the edge and serves as a playmaker against the run. He has also developed into a stout pass-rusher, due to his underrated mix of quickness, change-of-direction ability, power and instincts. Jennings’ most prominent strengths are, perhaps, his toughness and tenacity. Ultimately, Jennings faces a tall task to be what the Patriots need most against a potentially explosive Kansas City offense — an impact player in the middle of their defense who can provide the type of sideline-to-sideline coverage needed to neutralize the high-speed receivers, running backs and quarterbacks. His performance against versatile offenses this season should give New England some added confidence in him heading into this matchup against Kansas City. 

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