Patriots vs Chiefs: Brian Hoyer ‘best chance to not lose the game’

Why Brian Hoyer presents the best chance for the New England Patriots to upset the Kansas City Chiefs without Cam Newton.

The New England Patriots faced a tough uphill battle going into Arrowhead stadium and taking on a loaded Kansas City Chiefs team with Cam Newton. That challenge is even greater without him.

Whether it is veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer or second-year slinger Jarrett Stidham, the Patriots’ offense will have a great challenge in keeping up with Patrick Mahomes and that super scary Chiefs’ offense. That’s why the game plan, even with Newton, was to focus on a ground attack that would chew clock and keep Mahomes and crew off the field.

That game plan is even more of a focus with Hoyer apparently already named the starter when the two teams square off either Monday night or Tuesday night depending on COVID-19 testing and whether any more players or staff on both teams test positive.

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While Cam Newton’s absence from the game due to his COVID-19 positive diagnosis has taken a lot of the air out of the matchup and the Patriots chances of beating the Chiefs, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky feels going with Brian Hoyer is the safer option not to lose the game.

That is the approach the New England Patriots will have to take and an approach they have success with. Let’s remember, Tom Brady was a game manager when he took over for Drew Bledsoe and the tandem of Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick found a way to win games with Matt Cassell at quarterback. A veteran like Hoyer is in a better position than both those players were at the time to just follow the game plan and not make mistakes.

"“Brian Hoyer is a guy who has started plenty of football games in the NFL,” Orlovsky said, via NESN. “He’s one of those players who doesn’t need a ton of reps, either. He doesn’t need the reps week-to-week to understand your exact game plan physically. He has got all the mental preparation that he needs. He has played in plenty of important football games, obviously tomorrow is one that is. I feel that Brian Hoyer will give you the best chance not to lose the game.”"

With the game postponed to either Monday or Tuesday, Hoyer as the expected starter can obviously change depending on how McDaniels will approach the game, but Orlovsky is right.

The New England Patriots will take the game manager approach

Although Brian Hoyer is the boring choice, he makes the most sense because he won’t make the mistakes to lose the game, which would involve turnovers to give Patrick Mahomes even more chances to score. With defense and the running game being the best approach to score an upset over the defending Super Bowl champions, the veteran with experience is the leading option.

But, what about Jarrett Stidham?

Stidham would add more spark to the offense…we think. The advantage the Patriots’ offense would have with going with Stidham is that the Chiefs wouldn’t have a lot of tape on him. Unlike Hoyer, he does have the ability to make some plays with his feet.

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If Josh McDaniels wants to keep whatever game plan the team had with Cam Newton, going with Stidham allows them to still do some of those things. But, in taking an approach not to lose the game on offense, Brian Hoyer provides more of an opportunity to win with that approach.

So, if this game is actually played on Monday or Tuesday, the New England Patriots will end up having a little quarterback controversy after all. One that doesn’t involve Cam Newton.

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