ARGOMENTO: Gronkowski said. “I’ve been there in the reg

ST. JOSEPH http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-jarvis-jenkins-jersey , Mo. — The day that Patrick Mahomes checked into Scanlon Hall on the campus of Missouri Western for the start of training camp, he was greeted by Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka — the same trio that guided the young quarterback to a record-setting debut season as the starter.It was a welcoming, comforting reunion.The Chiefs went through a wholesale overhaul of their porous defense over the offseason, hiring a new coordinator and assistants and bringing in eight new starters (give or take). But continuity is what defines the other side of the ball, and that could help Mahomes match or even surpass the 5,000-plus yards passing and 50 touchdown tosses he had while leading the Chiefs to the brink of a Super Bowl.“Obviously, I feel different having a season under my belt where I got to play all 16 games in the season and then playoff games,” he said. “Just knowing what to do, another year under my belt and knowing what I need to do each and every day in order to have success on the field.”One of the biggest downfalls to success is change. Teams that win games, advance in the playoffs and win championships tend to lose their best coaches to better jobs at rival organizations.That was the case when then-Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson was plucked by Philadelphia, then guided the Eagles to a Super Bowl title. And it was the case a couple of years later, when Chicago took his replacement, Matt Nagy, and the Bears proceeded to march into the playoffs last season.Bieniemy got some looks for head coaching jobs after last season, too, but ultimately returned to the Chiefs as their offensive coordinator. And with Kafka back to tutor Mahomes, the braintrust that guided the Chiefs to a third consecutive AFC West title is back intact.49<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:Greetings from St. Joe: Chiefs training camp 2019Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports | Denny MedleyThat has allowed the Chiefs to build on last season, rather than spending time getting up to speed, and that means plugging even more information into their league MVP’s head.“He’s been challenged with the different plays that have been added Womens Patrick Mahomes II Jersey ,” Reid said, “and then some of the fundamental things that he’s working on. When I tell you he loves that stuff, he loves being coached. He wants to be coached hard. E.B. does a great job with him, Mike does a great job with him, of really challenging him. He thrives on that kind of stuff.”It isn’t just the coaching staff that returns together, either.Mahomes is still handing off to Damien Williams, who filled in admirably after the midseason release of Kareem Hunt last season. He is still tossing passes to Tyreek Hill and Demarcus Robinson and enjoying a big-play safety valve in Travis Kelce and the protection of fullback Anthony Sherman.Up front, four of the Chiefs’ five starting offensive linemen return, as do a pair of backups in Cameron Erving — who has plenty of starting experience — and Kahlil McKenzie.The Chiefs could have eight new starters on defense. They have eight returning on offense.“When I got here it was such a young line,” left tackle Eric Fisher said, “but now we have a whole bunch of veteran dudes, and we had some injuries last year and guys stepped in. There’s no drop.”The newcomers to the offense figure to make it even better, too.Austin Reiter is stepping in for oft-injured center Mitch Morse, who departed in free agency. The Chiefs used their initial draft pick on wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who replaced underwhelming Chris Conley. And backup tight end Deon Yelder replaced drop-prone Demetrius Harris.In other words, there are plenty of reasons to expect the Kansas City offense to be just as dynamic as it was last season. Maybe even more.NOTES: DEs Frank Clark (wrist) and Alex Okafor (hip), DL Emmanuel Ogbah and WR Gehrig Dieter (back) did not practice Wednesday. … RB Damien Williams (hamstring) returned to the field for the first time since the first day of practice. He ran with the starters the second half of practice. … DEs Breeland Speaks and Tanoh Kpassagnon got time with the starters due to injuries at their position.26<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:Pro Football Hall of Fame: Tony Gonzalez, Johnny Robinson induction weekendKirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | Kirby Lee KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It seems football fans everywhere are suddenly on the Kansas City Chiefs‘ bandwagon, enthralled by their record-setting young quarterback and exciting playmakers and hopeful their amiable old coach can finally win the big one.Then again Tyreek Hill Jersey , maybe they’re just fans of anybody facing New England.The Patriots have dominated the AFC for nearly two decades, and the coach-quarterback combination of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will be playing in an eighth consecutive conference title game Sunday night when New England visits the Chiefs at frigid, hostile Arrowhead Stadium.But whereas Brady and Co. once instilled awe in their opponents, the Chiefs view their showdown as an opportunity for Patrick Mahomes to take the baton as the league’s best quarterback and for Kansas City, seeking its first Super Bowl appearance in 49 years, to surpass the Patriots as the NFL’s “it” team.“It’ll be huge,” Mahomes said. “When I got here, the goal was to win the AFC championship and get to the Super Bowl, and win that. To do that early in my career, it would be a huge thing.”There aren’t two more dichotomous teams than the Patriots and Chiefs.New England has won five Super Bowls during the Belichick-Brady era, setting all kinds of records along the way. The cruel efficiency with which they’ve sliced up the AFC has made them the bane of fans everywhere but New England and given them the kind of unbeatable aura that accompanied the New York Yankees teams of Derek Jeter and the Chicago Bulls teams of Michael Jordan.It’s not just petty jealousy, though. Many fans have been turned off by Deflategate, Spygate and other instances over the years that have saddled the Patriots with a rather unsavory reputation.Brady has mostly shrugged it off. So has Belichick, who almost seems to embrace the villain role.“I don’t think about it too much, what people might say or think,” said Brady, whose team is a rare playoff underdog Sunday. “I know we’re playing against a very good football team. They’re the first seed for a reason. They’ve had a great season and we’re going to have to go into a really tough environment and play our best football, and it’s a great opportunity for us.”On the flip side are the Chiefs, a team that dominated the AFC throughout the 1990s but reached only one conference title game. They were the league’s worst franchise six years ago, when Andy Reid came aboard http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-demetrius-harris-jersey , but have become a perennial playoff team that was always missing that certain something.They found it when they drafted Mahomes nearly two years ago.The quarterback shattered just about every franchise passing record in his first season as a starter, and his down-home style has made him a fan favorite. Kids dressed up like him for Halloween, his curly Mohawk has become the trend at local barbershops, and the aw-shucks way Mahomes has embraced his stunning success has only made him more endearing.“I think he’s a great player on a great team that’s very well coached,” Belichick said. “They have a great scheme and a great system. He’s got a ton of weapons, so he’ll be tough to handle, as will their entire offense, as will their entire team. We’ll need our best game.”As the Patriots (12-5) try to advance to their third consecutive Super Bowl, something only two other franchises have accomplished, and the Chiefs (13-4) try to make it for the first time since winning the title in 1970, here are some things to know:PERSONNEL CHANGESThe Patriots beat the Chiefs in a 43-40 shootout in Week 6, but both teams are different these days. The Patriots lost wide receiver Josh Gordon to personal issues, and the Chiefs waived Kareem Hunt because of off-the-field trouble. Kansas City also is poised to have linebacker Justin Houston and star safety Eric Berry back from injury Sunday. Linebacker Justin Houston also missed the game at New England, though he has been back since Week 10.“I mean, that was Week 6. That was a long time ago,” Patriots safety Patrick Chung said. “We can’t really worry about that. They’re a better team and they’re on a roll. It’s the two best teams in the AFC, so you can’t really worry about, ‘Well, we beat you guys last, so we’re going to win.’ If we have that mentality Womens Armani Watts Jersey , we’ll get kicked — they’ll kick our ass, pretty much.”STAR POWERBrady and Mahomes get plenty of attention, but they don’t do it alone. Pats running back James White tied Darren Sproles‘ postseason record with 15 catches in their 41-28 divisional victory over the Chargers, while Sony Michel has become a breakout star and Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman remain dangerous downfield threats. The Chiefs counter with running back Damien Williams and the pass-catching trio of All-Pro speedster Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and sure-handed tight end Travis Kelce.ROAD WOE-RRIORSNew England hasn’t lost at home since early last season, but it’s been a struggle away from Gillette Stadium. The Patriots were 3-5 on the road this season, their worst mark since 2009, and lost back-to-back games in Miami and Pittsburgh in December. They haven’t won a postseason game on the road since 2006, and away teams have lost 10 consecutive conference championship games.“I don’t get caught up in all that,” Reid said this week. “They’re a heck of a team. I mentioned that before, if you’re talking about a dynasty in the National Football League, they’re that.”HOME COOKINGThe Chiefs were founded by Lamar Hunt, the namesake of the Lamar Hunt Trophy awarded to the AFC champion. But they will be hosting the AFC title game for the first time after ending a 25-year drought in divisional playoff games last week against Indianapolis. They are 8-1 at home this season; their lone loss came on a last-second 2-point conversion by the Los Angeles Chargers.“You know it’s going to be a playoff atmosphere there,” Gronkowski said. “I’ve been there in the regular season and it felt like a playoff atmosphere. So I just can’t imagine what it’s going to be like going into a stadium like this.”WEATHER WATCHWhile snow is expected Saturday, the forecast for frigid temperatures Sunday has improved a bit and it could be in the 20s much of the game. There will also be a “super blood wolf moon” later in the night, a rare total lunar eclipse in which the moon turns a rusty shade of red.“There’s not really much you can do with the cold,” Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower said. “I think Trey (Flowers) and Bill said it best: ‘Give us a ball and a field and we’ll be there.'”100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta