Patriots elevate one player for Chiefs matchup
The New England Patriots are making just one practice squad elevation for Sunday’s matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported on Saturday afternoon that the team is elevating running back Kevin Harris for the game.
This will be the second elevation of the year for Harris, who was also added to the roster for last week’s game against the Steelers. Harris didn’t end up playing a snap in that game, but added emergency running back depth behind Ezekiel Elliott following Rhamondre Stevenson’s ankle injury.
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There could be more of a chance for Harris to play this week. Last week the team used Ty Montgomery to spell Elliott, although Montgomery didn’t record a carry. Montgomery was cut following the game, leaving Elliott, Harris, and recently-signed Jamycal Hasty as the team’s running back options for this Sunday.
Harris was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round last year. He spent his rookie year in 2022 back and forth between the active roster and practice squad. In total he appeared in five games carrying the ball 18 times for 52 yards and a score.
The past two weeks the Patriots had elevated quarterback/wide receiver Malik Cunningham from the practice squad, but Cunningham didn’t play in either game. That left some wondering if Cunningham was serving as the backup quarterback to Bailey Zappe, ahead of Mac Jones. That won’t be the case this week, with Cunningham signing with the Baltimore Ravens earlier this week. Now, Jones will be the backup quarterback with the team not elevating Will Grier, leaving Zappe and Jones as the only two active quarterbacks on the roster.
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Not allowing a get-right game: Patriots vs. Chiefs What To Watch For
New coverage plan
Oct 12, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) and wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) line up against the Los Angeles Chargers during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill burned the Patriots badly the first two times he played them, putting up seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in the 2017 season opener and then another seven catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns in a regular season game in 2018. In the next three matchups between the Patriots’ and the Chiefs – including that 2020 game – the Patriots chose to make Hill the greater of two evils, forcing Kansas City to run the offense through tight end Travis Kelce rather than Hill.
This Sunday will be the first time the Patriots play the Chiefs since they traded Hill to the Miami Dolphins. Kansas City hasn’t exactly done a great job of replacing Hill since, and their wide receiver group is as unthreatening as it’s been in Patrick Mahomes’ tenure. Given that, more is being asked of Kelce this year than ever before.
Through 13 games (although Kelce himself has only played 12), Kelce is the Chiefs’ leading receiver with 80 catches for 896 yards. Rookie Rashee Rice has been a bright spot at times with 59 catches for 663 yards, but after him the group’s production drops off significantly. Kadarius Toney is third among the team’s receiver with just 25 catches, while Justin Watson has the third-most yards with 350.
With Hill no longer in the picture and Mahomes struggling to elevate the receivers around him, look for the Patriots to swarm Kelce, try to take him out of the picture, and make Mahomes win by throwing elsewhere. Given Kelce’s high-level ability to get open against zone, that will probably look like a lot of man coverage with help over the top shaded to wherever Kelce lines up.
A major test for the offensive line
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – OCTOBER 12: Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates his sack against the Denver Broncos during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 12, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Defensive tackle Chris Jones didn’t play in the last meeting between the Patriots and Chiefs. He’s certainly been busy since though and is playing some of the best football of his career this year. He has 7.5 sacks in 12 games and ranks third among all interior defenders this year with 51 pressures.
The last two weeks in particular, Jones has been a game-wrecker. He’s tied his season high for pressures with seven in each of the last two, and would have been player of the game against Buffalo last week had the Chiefs’ offense not imploded late.
Adding to the threat Jones brings is the fact that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will move him all around the formation. He’s starting to get more snaps as a defensive end, which allows the Chiefs to pick their matchups on a play-by-play basis.
That brings us to Sunday’s matchup. Look for the Chiefs to test different members of the Patriots’ offensive line with Jones early, trying to find a spot to exploit. That could be either of the guard spots, which has struggled with line games this year, or potentially off left tackle if the Patriots rotate Trent Brown again.
Wherever he’s coming from, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jones get in the backfield regularly. If he does, it’ll be up to Bailey Zappe to handle the pressure and not get flustered.
Which Bailey Zappe will we get?
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 07: Quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) of the New England Patriots looks to pass in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 07, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Last week was a tale of two halves for Bailey Zappe. He started the game going 14-of-21 for 196 yards and three touchdowns, but came out of the locker room and threw just nine passes, completing five for 44 yards with an interception.
Given the context that made some sense, as the Patriots got careful to protect what was a 21-10 halftime lead. While that approach may have worked against a Mitch Trubisky-quarterbacked Pittsburgh Steelers team it won’t work against these Chiefs, even with the overall lack of weapons around Patrick Mahomes.
Zappe had some high points last week, but wasn’t consistent. If he can string more of those moments together in this game, the Patriots will have a chance. But, it needs to be more than flashes from the quarterback position for the Patriots to keep the game close into the second half.
