Patriots

be good in all phases: running it, throwing it, kicking it, playing defense, everything. We’ll have to do it again.”

Running back Sony Michel scored three touchdowns and rushed for 129 yards against the Chargers. The three scores were the most ever by a Patriots rookie in a playoff game.

Michel’s backfield mates were equally active.

Rex Burkhead added a 6-yard touchdown run, and James White’s 15 catches tied Darren Sproles for the most receptions in a single game in NFL playoff history.

The Patriots had a season-best four rushing touchdowns. The 155 rushing yards also marked their fifth time with 130 or more yards since their bye week.

New England has not lost a game this season when rushing for 100 or more yards as a team.

“It’s all about trust and patience,” Michel said. “We’ve got faith that coach is going to call the best play possible for us to succeed and guys are going to take pride in executing the play — the offensive line, the receivers, everybody is going to do their job, and it’s our job to do our job.”

Like the Patriots, Kansas City has a steadying presence setting the tone in veteran coach Andy Reid, but the Chiefs also have a second-year quarterback in Patrick Mahomes who has been mostly unflappable throughout a season in which he’s a favorite to win MVP as a first-time, fulltime starter.

After trailing big during their Week 6 matchup with the Patriots, Mahomes brought the Chiefs back and tied the score late. It took a field goal by Stephen Gostkowski as time expired for New England to pull out a 43-40 win in Foxborough.

While Brady threw for 340 yards and a touchdown in that game, he hasn’t fared well on the road against the Chiefs. He has just a 1-2 record with three touchdown passes and six interceptions in three games at Arrowhead Stadium.

This will be Brady’s first playoff game in Kansas City.

White said their task this week is not to overthink how to translate their success on the road.

“Just execute for four quarters, start fast, just play Patriot football,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what we did during the regular season. This is going to be a battle of what we do on next Sunday. We’ve just got to put our best foot forward and play Patriot football. That’s all we have to do.”

Break out the parkas for Sunday night’s AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium.

The National Weather Service is projecting an arctic blast to settle over Kansas City for the game. Temperatures at kickoff could range from 10 degrees to well below zero, potentially making it the coldest game in Arrowhead Stadium history.

Twice it has been 1 degree at kickoff, including a December 2016 game against Tennessee.

Both teams are accustomed to cold, inclement weather, though.

The Chiefs experienced some of it this past weekend, when heavy snow blanketed Kansas City and knocked out power to thousands of people.

The snow stopped just before kickoff, though, and the field was in good shape for their 31-13 victory over the Colts.

The wind chill was in the teens for the Patriots’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.