New England Patriots: Julian Edelman focused on Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman isn’t concerned with anything but the Kansas City Chiefs.

The New England Patriots offense received a boost in Week 5 with the return of Julian Edelman. Edelman was serving a four-game suspension throughout September, so Thursday Night Football in Week 5 was his 2018 debut.

It was actually the first time that Edelman has been on the field with his teammates since 2016. Edelman suffered a knee injury last August preparing for the 2017 season. That injury sidelined him for the entire regular season and Super Bowl run.

With that lengthy of an absence, Edelman is still trying to knock off some of the rust. Adjusting to the everyday schedule and grind of the NFL season is not an easy thing to do. However, Edelman is a seasoned veteran and knows what it takes to succeed in this league.

This week represented the first time that Edelman was able to talk to the media at length since his return from the suspension. To the surprise of no one, Edelman didn’t want to discuss the past very much, not even the game against the Indianapolis Colts.

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Instead, Edelman wanted to focus on the future, specifically the Patriots’ next opponent, the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.

"“Ultimately, it’s all in the past, and I’m thinking about the Chiefs,” added Edelman. “I’m not even thinking about last week. We’re playing an undefeated team that looks unbelievable. My focus is the Kansas City Chiefs. I couldn’t care less about last week. We’ve got a battle [coming up]. If you love football, this is why you play, for games like this.”"

This is not only the type of game that the players live for, but it is also one that will draw the attention of fans as well. There aren’t many better matchups you will see this regular season than the Chiefs facing off with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

With Patrick Mahomes running the show offensively, Kansas City’s already explosive offense has taken another step forward. Mahomes is surrounded by a plethora of weapons at every skill position. Kareem Hunt in the backfield, Travis Kelce at tight end, Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill at wide receiver are a lot to keep track of.

While Edelman won’t have to stop those players, he will play an important role in this game. This matchup screams shootout, as both teams have been suspect defensively thus far.

New England is going to have to score a little bit to keep up with the Chiefs offense, and Edelman will play a large part in that.