Breaking down the Patriots' keys to victory vs. Chiefs

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The New England Patriots will look to avoid their second straight loss on Sunday, but it won't be an easy task.

They'll line up against the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game, which the Pats won 37-31 in overtime.

This time, the game will take place at Gillette Stadium where the Patriots have won 21 straight including the postseason to match the longest streak in team history. To make it 22, they'll need more of a spark than they've gotten recently from their struggling offense.

Of course, with last year's NFL MVP under center for the Chiefs, the Patriots defense will need to be the shutdown unit we've seen all season long.

On the latest Patriots Talk Podcast, Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry went into more detail on what the keys to a victory will be for the Patriots on Sunday.

"Do you think the Patriots' pass rush against a hobbled still -- not exactly where he was at the end of last year -- Patrick Mahomes could be the key to this game for the Patriots? 'Cause I do," Curran said. "I think you move him, you get to him, it changes everything. Same way it did with Dak Prescott, I felt."

As for the key offensively for the Patriots, that's the player they spent a second-round draft pick in October.

"If the New England Patriots keep the Kansas City Chiefs under 20 points on Sunday, then they are everything we cracked them up to be defensively all season long. That's my pledge," Curran said. "If the Kansas City Chiefs get over 20 points, the Patriots are not going to win. And if they do get over 20 points and I'm wrong, and they do win, it's because of Mohamed Sanu.

"Mohamed Sanu to me is the most important player on this Patriots offense over the last four games and into the playoffs. He is the linchpin."

Listen to the full episode below:

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