5 most interesting NFL matchups to watch Week 4

3. Chiefs run defense vs. New England’s ground attack

The Patriots know they can’t win a shootout against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. Instead, they’ll look to grind this game out on the ground. Keeping the ball away from Mahomes and company will be a huge priority for New England.

That means Cam Newton and his running backs are going to get a lot of work. The Patriots will want to deploy their power running game early and often against the Chiefs’ front. Chris Jones will need to have a big game for Kansas City to get his defense off the field on third down.

Don’t expect New England’s offense to be vanilla though. They are going to find some creative ways to get Newton opportunities to attack the Chiefs defense out on the edge. That means Tyrann Mathieu will have a big role to play in stopping him. The safety’s lack of size could show up in a negative way if he’s forced to tackle Newton one-on-one.

Sony Michel will also be in line for a lot of carries. He has a reputation of being a home run hitter in the backfield, but he can also keep the chains moving with his one-cut running style. If Kansas City keys too much on Newton, they’ll struggle to keep Michel in check.

Lots of attention will be paid to what happens when the Chiefs have the ball in this game, but New England’s ability to burn the clock will be a key factor as well.