KC Chiefs: Key Match-Ups vs Patriots in AFC Championship Game

Andy Reid vs Bill Belichick

This match-up has every football nerd freaking out. How will Andy Reid attack one of Bill Belichick’s legendary defensive game plans? What will Belichick do to slow down Reid’s most high octane offense to date?

This chess game is going to be one for the ages. This won’t be the first time these two coaches have faced off, either. Reid and Belichick have went toe-to-toe eight different times before, with one such duel occurring in the Super Bowl, which was won by Belichick.

The Chiefs exorcised their home playoff game demons last week, and if Reid wants to exorcise his own and get the Super Bowl monkey off of his back, he needs to go through the one man who has stopped him before.

Live Feed

Betsided

At first glance, Belichick owns Big Red. Reid is 2-6 all time against Belichick, including 0-2 against him in the playoffs. If you look a little deeper, those numbers could be a little misleading as to how the AFC Championship game will shake out.

Reid is 2-2 against Belichick as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. In his two losses in those games, Reid’s team lost by a combined total of ten points. In his two wins, the point differential is +42 in Andy’s favor.

The last time these two teams played in Arrowhead was in 2014, and the Patriots got steamrolled 41-14. Furthermore, in his career, Belichick has only allowed 40 points an astounding seven times. Andy Reid accounts for three of those games. Reid has had success against Belichick’s defenses, and expect that to continue.

The most recent game these two coaches saw each other was just this year, in a game where the Patriots didn’t punt or didn’t have an accepted penalty. It was a coaching clinic by both parties, but Belichick separated himself in the end with his masterful clock management.

The Patriots got the ball back with the game tied and less than four minutes. Patrick Mahomes and the offense didn’t see the field again, and the Patriots ended the night as winners by a score of 43-40.

I expect Andy Reid to have more success from a pure X’s and O’s standpoint and have his offense clicking. Looking at the perspective of the entire game, however, expect to see a slight disparity in Belichick’s favor.

From game-plan, clock management, situational decisions and penalties, Belichick sets himself apart from others with his attention to detail. He is one of, if not the biggest reason the Patriots have made it too eight straight AFC Championship games.

Advantage: Patriots