Playoff implications, an MVP candidate, two of the league’s best coaches, an explosive offense and shutdown defense.

What more could you ask from Patriots-Chiefs?

For starters, a win.

After suffering their second loss of the season last weekend, the Pats fell to the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture, and they could be in danger of dropping further depending on how Sunday goes. Like Baltimore and Houston, Kansas City (9-4) would own a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Patriots with a win and should enjoy a more favorable finish to its regular season. Meanwhile, the Pats must host another playoff-bound team in Buffalo in Week 16 and have significant issues to sort out offensively.

Bottom line: This will be the biggest game of the Patriots’ season until they’re fighting for their playoff lives. A victory would mean confidence, breathing room and a needed rebound.

Here’s what we’ll be looking for in Sunday’s Pats/Chiefs matchup:

Defending Hill and Kelce

Last season, the Patriots held Chiefs All-Pros Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce to their lowest single-game totals for catches and receiving yards during their AFC Championship bout and still barely escaped Kansas City with a victory.

That doesn’t mean Hill and Kelce should be any less of a priority this time around.

The NFL’s most explosive offensive duo can devastate any defense if not handled properly. In the AFC title game, the Pats consistently double-teamed Hill with a deep safety and assigned cornerback J.C. Jackson to Kelce before replacing him with Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore, who shut Kelce out for the final minutes of the AFC title game, could start on him Sunday.

Either way, expect extra attention to be devoted to those two, and the success of that attention to determine the final outcome.

More from Mohamed Sanu

When the Patriots traded a 2020 second-round pick for Mohamed Sanu in October, their message to him was clear: we’re banking on you to lift our passing offense.

Days later, Sanu made two catches in his team debut, then reeled in 10 at Baltimore and turned his ankle at Philadelphia in Week 11. His resulting high ankle sprain sidelined him for one game and made him less effective last weekend in Houston. Now three weeks removed from the injury, the Pats need Sanu more than ever.

He’s an ideal No. 2 or 3 option in an offense that has relied too heavily on Julian Edelman. As a veteran, Sanu provides a consistent and calming presence for Brady, whose miscommunications and frustrations with young wideouts are well-documented. All of that can be glossed over and the concerns over the Patriots offense will be assuaged if Sanu can return to form against Kansas City.

The Pats are still counting on him.

A fast start

One of the most overlooked aspects of the Patriots’ success against Chiefs has been their first-half performances. At halftime of last season’s meetings, the Pats led by 15 and 14 points, then hung on for one-score win. If they’re to triumph again, they must get out ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Co.

Kansas City has led at halftime in just one of its four losses this season. The Chiefs can strike as quickly as any offense in the league and adjust better than almost anyone. Take it from Devin McCourty.

“Whatever you’re doing as a defense, that’s what they come in game-planning to try to beat you. You play a full first half, and now they’re like, “Alright, this is what we’re getting. This is what we’re going to do.” So, I think it’s like a chess match,” McCourty said. “We have to be able to match what they do early in the game, what they do in the middle of the game and what they do late in the game. It’s not really going to stay the same.”

Ferentz up front

Career journeyman James Ferentz will make his second start ever Sunday and first at center in place of the injured Ted Karras. Most would describe the experience as “being thrown into the fire.” They couldn’t be more right.

Ferentz’s primary matchup will come against Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who racked up 15.5 sacks last year and owns a team-high six this season. A year ago, Bill Belichick said Jones can “wreck a game plan,” something the Raiders could confirm last week when he finished with five tackles, a sack and pass defensed.

Kansas City also employs a steady diet of stunts, meaning they send D-linemen shooting into unexpected gaps to stress opposing offensive lines. The Chiefs should also benefit from intel provided by first-year defensive line coach Brendan Daly, a Patriots assistant for most of the last decade.

Through Jones and these stunts, expect the Chiefs to pick on Ferentz in efforts to frustrate Brady.

Kansas City screen game

The Chiefs took a late lead in the AFC title game on a well-crafted screen pass to running back Damien Williams. Dating back to his days as the head coach of the Eagles, Andy Reid has annually produced one of the most dangerous screen packages in the NFL. If the Pats again play predominantly man coverage versus Kansas City, there will be opportunities for Reid to strike, particularly against a blitz.

Considering the Patriots have blitzed more this season than most in recent memory, timing will indeed be everything Sunday.