When the Chiefs and Patriots met in the regular season, the Chiefs were without their best pass rusher, Justin Houston. When they meet on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game, Houston will be back.
That could make a very big difference. Houston has seven sacks in his last five games, including two sacks in the playoff win over the Colts last weekend, and he’ll be eager to get to Tom Brady on Sunday.
“It’s difficult any time you play them – whether it’s here or there – because they’re smart,” Houston said. “They have a coach on the field [Brady]. He sees everything. He’s been playing for a while, so there’s nothing you can throw at him that he hasn’t seen. To give us the best chance of winning we have to keep him off the field and keep our offense on the field.”
Houston believes he can get to Brady if the Chiefs can force third-and-long situations.
“If it’s third-and-short, the ball’s coming out fast,” he said. “If you put him in third-and-long situations, then he has to hold the ball a little longer. Hopefully it will give us a little time to get there.”
If Houston can have another two-sack game, that would go a long way toward sending the Chiefs to the Super Bowl.