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• Patriots Win Despite Brady Injury

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
KAN	2-14	291	440	1-7	1-7	2-4	2-10
NWE	11-5	410	309	5-3	6-2	4-2	7-5
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Kansas City Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Cassel 55.0 2924 16 16 Croyle 57.5 230 2 0

New England Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Brady 65.7 4398 28 13 Hoyer 70.4 142 0 0

Kansas City Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Charle... 190 1120 5.9 7 Johnso... 132 377 2.9 0

New England Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Marone... 194 757 3.9 9 Faulk 62 335 5.4 2

Kansas City Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Chambe... 36 608 16.9 4 Bowe 47 589 12.5 4

New England Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Welker 123 1348 11.0 4 Moss 83 1264 15.2 13

Full Player Stats: Kansas City | New England

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	KAN	277.0
	NWE	411.0
Yards Passing	KAN	198.8
	NWE	295.7
Yards Rushing	KAN	78.0
	NWE	115.6
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	KAN	319.4
	NWE	288.3
Pass Yds Allowed	KAN	188.9
	NWE	190.1
Rush Yds Allowed	KAN	130.6
	NWE	98.3

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
New England leads 3-1
Nov 27, 2005	KAN 26, @NWE 16
Nov 22, 2004	KAN 19, @NWE 27
Sep 22, 2002	KAN 38, NWE 41

There was plenty of doubt surrounding the health of Tom Brady last winter as the New England Patriots missed their chance at a perfect 19-0 season with a devastating loss in Super Bowl XLII.

With New England still trying to bounce back, questions about the status of its record-setting quarterback also continue to linger.

Brady expects to be under center when the Patriots try to extend the longest regular-season winning streak in NFL history on Sunday, as they open their season with a seemingly lopsided home matchup against the young Kansas City Chiefs.

Brady's coming off one of the best seasons for a quarterback in league history, and a large part of the Patriots' success seems to hinge on his injured right foot.

The reigning league MVP threw an NFL record 50 touchdown passes and compiled a 117.2 passer rating -- the second-best ever -- while leading New England to the first-ever 16-0 regular season last year, but his pace slowed in the postseason.

Dealing with a high right ankle sprain, he threw three interceptions against San Diego in the AFC title game and was pressured heavily in the Patriots' 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

This foot injury appears to be unrelated, but the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick have been typically mum on the matter. Brady didn't play in any of the team's four preseason losses, and concerns seem especially relevant considering backup Matt Cassel led 17 preseason drives without reaching the end zone.

Brady participated in practice Wednesday and said earlier in the week that he plans on making his 128th consecutive start, including playoffs.

"If it's up to me, there's no question," Brady said Monday. "I've been getting progressively better over the past couple of weeks. I'm excited. I'm excited to start the year."

His teammates must be, too, after months of dealing with questions and regrets about their missed opportunity in the Super Bowl. Seeking to become the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to notch an undefeated season, the Patriots fell victim to a monumental upset against the Giants, allowing the winning touchdown with 35 seconds left.

"I think part of what helps you move forward is to say 'OK, we did the best we could do and it didn't turn out the way we would have liked but sometimes that happens,'" Brady said during training camp. "We are moving forward with just as much energy and excitement as we always have. Hopefully we can go out there and put ourselves in the best position possible every week."

The Patriots still have won 19 straight in the regular season -- breaking their own mark of 18 in a row -- and much of the team's core is back. That includes Randy Moss, who set the NFL record with 23 touchdown catches, and Wes Welker, who set the franchise record with 112 receptions.

Most of the questions are on defense. Veterans Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi and Adalius Thomas will welcome rookie Jerod Mayo to a talented linebacking corps, but the Patriots seem thin at cornerback after the departures of Pro Bowler Asante Samuel and Randall Gay.

They signed two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Deltha O'Neal this week after he was released by Cincinnati. It's unclear what O'Neal's role will be against Kansas City, but he figures to eventually slot into a starting spot alongside returnee Ellis Hobbs.

The Patriots are hoping for a less eventful opener than last season, when they beat the New York Jets 38-14 but were accused by former New England assistant and current New York head coach Eric Mangini of videotaping the Jets' signals.

After an NFL investigation, the Spygate scandal dominated the headlines and ended up costing the team hefty fines and its first-round draft pick.

New England likely preferred playing the Jets when they were led by current Chiefs coach Herm Edwards from 2001-05. The Patriots went 8-2 against the Jets over that span, holding them to 13.3 points per game and winning the last six meetings.

Now, Edwards is hoping to help rebuild the Chiefs, who've committed to developing younger players after going 4-12 and losing their final nine games last year.

Kansas City has 15 rookies on its roster entering the opener, including starting defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey -- the No. 5 overall pick in the draft out of LSU. Rookie cornerback Brandon Flowers and left tackle Branden Albert are also expected to start, even though Albert missed all of the preseason with a sprained foot.

"He's just another young one who's going to have to play. That's OK. That's what we said we were going to do," Edwards said. "We stuck to our guns on this whole process and now it's time to go play. You can't start questioning what you're doing when it's time to go play. You have a certain way you're going to do things around here now and I think it's good for the organization. I think we will reap the benefits."

While the Patriots boasted perhaps the best offense in NFL history last year, setting a league record with 589 total points, Kansas City was the least productive in the AFC, ranking last with averages of 277 total yards and 14.1 points. The Chiefs were sacked a conference-high 55 times.

Brodie Croyle will start at quarterback Sunday, still looking for his first NFL win as a starter. Croyle started six games toward the end of last season, losing them all while compiling a 68.6 passer rating.

One luxury he didn't have behind him was running back Larry Johnson, who missed the final eight games of the year with a foot injury. Johnson will be hoping for a return to his 2005-06 form, when he ran for a total of more than 3,500 yards and 37 touchdowns.

He rushed for 119 yards in a 26-16 win over the Patriots on Nov. 27, 2005, in the teams' most recent meeting.

The Chiefs, however, have lost three straight in Foxborough since their last victory there in 1990. They erased a 14-point deficit in the final five minutes during their last visit in 2002, but lost 41-38 in overtime as Brady threw for 410 yards and four touchdowns.

Reiss mailbag: A Patriots potpourri

Mail call: A potpourri on Patriots' problems and plans for 2010.

Wickersham: The future of the NFL

Seth Wickersham looks at the labor dispute that is hanging over the NFL and what the future may hold for the league.

Brady's bonus could speed up extension talk

Tom Brady and the Pats are expected to negotiate an extension that will likely make him one of the highest paid players in the NFL.

Super Schadenfreude reigns among Pats fans

Day after Colts loss, Schadenfreude reigns among Patriots fans.

'He runs a tight ship'

When Todd Haley was introduced as the Chiefs' new head coach in early February, he joked that he was trying to loosen up, if only for the day.

Safety alert: Mike Brown making free-agent visit to Kansas City

One safety with Chicago ties is expected to announce his retirement today. Another will look for a new place to continue his career.

Still no Waters or Vrabel at Chiefs practice, but LJ returns

The Chiefs began another week of optional team practices without two important pieces, and how Kansas City ends this week could foretell whether key players on offense and defense have a future with the team.

Chiefs adjust to new roles in new defense

Turk McBride still feels himself inching toward the defensive line, home for so long, and the comfort his old position would bring.

Clock ticking on Chiefs contract

The game of chicken between the Kansas City Chiefs and state government has yet to scare away potential builders of a summer training camp facility in St.

Rodney Harrison set to tackle NBC gig

Rodney Harrison [ stats ] is ready to begin the next phase of his life. One of the most storied players in Patriots [ team stats ] history, Harrison will be introduced as the newest member of NBC's broadcast team during a conference call tomorrow, according to a source with knowledge of Harrison's plans.

Jim Donaldson: It's okay to to be optimistic about the 2009 Pats' offense, but let's be realistic

They are more than merely workouts, these sessions in which the Patriots are participating on the grass field in the southern shadow of Gillette Stadium.

Vince Wilfork a no-show again

Patriots [ team stats ] nose tackle Vince Wilfork [ stats ] is scheduled to appear at an event in support of his diabetes charity tomorrow.

Patriots.com News Blitz

Maroney talks about being healthy and Crable and Springs reflect on being back in action.

Patriots re-sign punter Tom Malone

The Patriots announced that they have re-signed punter Tom Malone today. Malone joins veteran Chris Hanson on the roster at the punter spot.