GAMETIME: 3:35 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 16
LOCATION: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
HOW TO WATCH:CBS | KCTV5 Local
HOW TO LISTEN:101.1 The Fox
CHIEFS REWIND WRAP-UP SHOW:Local listings
GAMCENTER: Chiefs.com
It's been 11 years since Andy Reid's Philadelphia Eagles battled the New England Patriots (12-4) in Super Bowl XXXIX.
The Patriots won that game, 24-21, marking the third Super Bowl championship in four seasons for quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick.
Amazingly enough, now, as Reid's Kansas City Chiefs (12-5) look to extend their magical season and streak of 11 wins in a row in the Divisional Round Saturday afternoon, they'll have to do it against the very same duo from all that time ago, still performing at a championship-caliber level.
"They've made history, so both of them are Hall of Famers – future Hall of Famers," Reid explained of Belichick and Brady this week. "We look forward to the challenge though, that's what this is all about – getting to play against the best, they're the World Champions. What a great challenge and an opportunity to play up there at Foxborough—a great atmosphere. [There] might be a little snow, it doesn't get any better than that."
With this being Week 19 of the NFL season, both teams enter Saturday's game with key injuries that could realistically have a major impact on how the game plays out.
The Chiefs will be without offensive linemen Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Mitch Morse (concussion protocol), while linebacker Justin Houston (knee) and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin are officially listed as questionable.
Houston has had issues since injuring his knee in the Week 12 game against the Buffalo Bills, and Maclin suffered a high-ankle sprain in last week's playoff game against the Houston Texans. Reid called both players "game-time decisions."
If Maclin cannot go, the Chiefs will turn to rookie wide receiver Chris Conley, who caught a 9-yard touchdown pass in that opening game against the Texans.
"He's incredibly smart," QB Alex Smith said of Conley. "I just think you get good at understanding how to prepare for these games and what a week of preparation looks like and I think he's done a good job of that all year."
LB Tamba Hali (knee and thumb), running back Spencer Ware (ankle) and WR Albert Wilson (hamstring) are also questionable. Expect to see former first-round pick Dee Ford and veteran Frank Zombo fill in for Hali and Houston if need be.
On the Patriots side, there were 13 players either limited or out of practice this week, highlighted by tight end Rob Gronkowski (knee) and OL Sebastian Vollmer (ankle). Gronkowski, New England's touchdown leader, received treatment at the hospital on his knee on Wednesday afternoon, according to ESPN reports.
As the Patriots deal with their injuries, they should be aided by the returns of LB Dont'a Hightower (knee) on the defensive side of the football and WR Julian Edelman (foot) on offense.
Edelman, who has been out since Week 10, is so important for the Patriots, who went 3-4 to end the season without him. Despite missing seven games, the wide receiver still finished second on the team in targets (88), only behind Gronkowski (120).
As noted by the Chiefs this week, one of the most impressive qualities of the Patriots passing offense is how quickly Brady releases the ball, and that makes defending him all the more challenging.
"He's one of those guys that is brilliant on the field—he knows what to do with the football," said Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton of Brady. "You're not going to trick Tom Brady very many times, so you just try to maybe cause a little confusion in his mind and that's very hard to do because he's seen every single thing you can do. Unless you guys have got something that we don't have yet, but he's a really challenging guy so you just try to make it as difficult for him as you possibly can."
As far as a defense, the No. 9-ranked Patriots (329.3 yards allowed per game) tend to show a variety of looks.
"Multiple fronts, multiple coverages," said offensive coordinator Doug Pederson when asked what he thinks of the Patriots, "a group that plays well within their scheme. They don't go overboard with anything. They're very confident in what they do. Attack-style, aggressive up front, they have another tremendous front six, front seven guys in there. And they'll mix their fronts. It's a week-by-week game plan for them."
With Maclin, Wilson and Ware all questionable due to injury, RB Charcandrick West and TE Travis Kelce become even more important for Smith and the Chiefs.
"It's a statement game for us," Kelce said this week. "It's a statement game for anybody that would come into the world champs' stadium and take on the Patriots and who they are. It's a challenge, but at the same time, we're excited for it and we're ready for it."
LAST TIME THEY MET
After a historic regular-season finish and the first franchise playoff win in 22 years, the Chiefs will try to continue the season Saturday in New England and ensure a new Super Bowl champion in 2015.
The Chiefs have won 11 games in a row, yes, but most would agree that Brady and the Patriots are their toughest challenge yet.
If they can meet and conquer it, despite all the injuries and the infamous 1-5 start, they will be just one win away from Santa Clara for the Super Bowl.
It's been 11 years since Reid's last trip, and this is starting to look like the team that could take him back.
