Patriots vs. Chiefs: Bold Predictions

1. Julian Edelman will score two touchdowns in fourth quarter

In his first game back from that foot injury, Edelman will take a little while to get up to speed. He may drop a pass or two as he adjusts to the speed of the game. But have no fear; the extra work Edelman put in with Brady over the bye week will pay off. Here’s an excerpt from Mike Reiss’ reporting from earlier in the week:

"I’m told that quarterback Tom Brady and receiver Julian Edelman, in particular, spent some extra time together, and optimism remains high regarding Edelman’s availability and projected effectiveness for Saturday’s divisional-round game. Prior to Edelman sustaining a broken bone in his left foot Nov. 15, he played 87.3 percent of the offensive snaps. It’s probably asking him too much to match that total in his return, but if he hits somewhere around 70 percent, that would still be a big boost."

Like Reiss says, it’s unreasonable to expect Edelman to turn it on right away. But by the fourth quarter, with the Patriots staring down a 15-10 score in favor of the Chiefs, Edelman will make up for all the time he’s been absent.

Look for the thickly bearded wideout to snag not just one, but two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. The Patriots will succeed on the two-point conversation after the first score to give them an 18-15 lead. On the next possession, Edelman will rip off a long touchdown to put the icing on the cake.

Next: Top 15 Patriots Moments of 2015

A final score of 25-15 will propel the Patriots to their fifth straight AFC Championship Game.