KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs won’t play against the New England Patriots in 2015, so they aren’t directly affected by the release of the Ted Wells report and a possible suspension for quarterback Tom Brady.
That doesn’t mean the Chiefs wouldn’t be touched by a Brady suspension. The Chiefs are thinking of themselves as playoff contenders and assuming that’s what they will be, some forced time off for Brady would certainly impact them.
A Patriots team, presumably weakened by whatever length of suspension Brady might receive, could be in competition for seeding with the Chiefs if both teams win their respective divisions. The teams also could be vying for wild-card spots and an absence of any length for Brady could be the deciding factor there.
The Chiefs might need the help of Brady and the Patriots for their only game this year against an AFC West opponent. The Patriots meet the Denver Broncos on Nov. 29 but by then whatever suspension Brady might get would be over, so the only way he doesn’t play then is because of injury.
While there’s no mention of any of New England’s games against the Chiefs in the Wells report, it’s naïve to believe Brady and the Patriots weren’t doctoring footballs in any of those games.
The Chiefs are 2-4 in games Brady started for the Patriots, including a 41-14 Kansas City win last year at Arrowhead Stadium. Brady could have been throwing a bowling ball and still defeated the Chiefs in Kansas City’s last trip to New England. The Chiefs, quarterbacked by Tyler Palko in 2011, lost to Brady and the Patriots 34-3.