The Patriots host the Chiefs tonight in an early season showdown on Sunday Night Football. If the Patriots want to have any shot at a top two seed in the AFC, they must win this game.

Here are five keys for the Patriots in this game.

1. Get Mahomes Off His Spot: The Patriots must get consistent pressure on Patrick Mahomes and throw him off his spot. They must continue him and not allow him to extend plays out of the pocket.

2. Offensive Tackles Must Play Well: The Patriots are catching a break with Justin Houston out but Dee Ford can still be a problem himself and Kansas City likes to bring edge pressure. Marcus Cannon and Trent Brown must play well and not get beat. Especially on medium and long down situations.

3. Slow Down Tyreek Hill: The Patriots cannot allow Hill to make big plays and burn them like he did last season. The Patriots need to take away and force the Chiefs to have to look elsewhere for big plays.

4. Come Out Throwing: The Patriots need to come out and throw the ball. They must attack a weak Kansas City secondary that is dealing with injuries. It wouldn’t be surprising if Tom Brady threw 40 plus times tonight.

5. Be Ready For the Gimmicks: The Chiefs have the most innovative offense in the NFL. They do a lot of different things with motion and misdirection. The Patriots cannot take bad angles and they cannot get caught chasing plays. They need to be disciplined and follow their keys.

Final Prediction: Patriots 42 Chiefs 31: The Patriots will avenge last season’s loss to the Chiefs with an impressive showing offensive showing tonight. They healthy offensively and they have the talent to match the Chiefs.