Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Monday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
--A really fun night at Gillette that included two elite-level offenses doing their thing. The Chiefs are a bunch of fun to watch on offense, even more so in person with the motion and shifting and the way they work to get guys open. And Pat Mahomes is the real deal. With that group, they're never out of a game. I will say this -- there's a lot of time between now and January, but at this point on on calendar, those are the two best teams in the AFC.
--Great work by the New England offense. Right now, that group is really clicking. Going to be fun to see what the ceiling is for this group, but it's safe to say the Patriots should focus any sort of trade deadline talk on the defensive side of the football. For a team that was thin at wide receiver, right now, it appears Cordarrelle Patterson and Phillip Dorsett are on the outside looking in. I know New England is a week-to-week group, but I'm going to be fascinated to see where the offense goes from here, at least from a personnel perspective.
--We'll have more discussion on where the Patriots go from here and their place in the overall AFC power structure over the course of the week, but we'll really get it all started with the weekly Overreaction Monday Q&A. Get your questions in now, because it's going to be EPIC.
Monday’s schedule
11:30 a.m.: Conference Call with Bill Belichick
3:45 p.m.: Approximate time for player availability (locker room)
Now, on with the links...
1. My main story has a look at how far the Patriots have come since that depressing Sunday night loss in Detroit to the Lions, and how New England-Kansas City would make an excellent AFC title game
2. I also have the Game Report from Sunday night's contest, where the Patriots and Chiefs combined for 83 points, 946 yards of total offense and just one punt.
3. Live Coverage was hopping all night long with plenty of good stuff.
4. Conor writes on Sony Michel's night -- the rookie topped 90 rushing yards for the third straight contest, but his greatest achievement might have been when it comes to his work as a short-yardage back.
5. Conor also has a piece on the fact the New England defense came away with a whole new level of respect for the speed of the Kansas City offense.
6. The #StayCovered Defensive Play of the Game went to Dont'a Hightower for his first-quarter interception of Mahomes.
7. We've got all sorts of video: Stephen Gostkowski, Bill Belichick, Sony Michel, Stephon Gilmore and Josh Gordon.
8. Greg spent some quality time afterward with the fellas from the 98.5 Postgame Show.
9. Official BSJ Photographer Adam Richins has a collection of some of his best shots from the night.
10. One last plug for my weekend notebook, which hits on a bunch of fun stuff worth checking out.
Extra Point:
The ?. Not ready to relinquish the ? yet. #Patriots with a HUGE last-second win vs the (previously) undefeated Chiefs pic.twitter.com/W5B7ubdsYG
— The Camera Guys (@NBCSCameraGuys) October 15, 2018