Something I have always wondered is if the Patriots play their offense vanilla when facing a team they will possibly see in the post season.
Obviously some of the offensive problems would be rust, injuries and what not.
But something like not using the rb stable while your wr options are either green or limited. Is that because they thought it wouldn't work or is that because they are keeping a little something back for later?
Would they be willing to risk a loss when they have some idea that short of catastrophe they will be making the playoffs and possibly facing the Chiefs again?
I don't believe it was part of their game plan. Breaking down their early drives in the first half:
Drive #1: 4 runs (plus 1 run negated by offsetting penalties), and 6 passes. Of the 6 passes, the targets were Allen (inc), Burkhead (comp), Cooks (comp), Amendola (comp), Cooks (inc), and Gronk (inc). Result was a TD.
Drive #2: 3 runs, 5 passes: 3 intended for Gronk (0-3), 1 for Amendola, 1 for James White (both complete). Drive resulted in the turnover on downs after Gronk's catch was reversed upon replay.
Drive #3: 5 runs, 3 passes (completions to Amendola and Cooks, incomplete to Burkhead). FG
Drive #4: 8 runs, 4 passes (completions to 'Dola and Gronk, incomplete to Burkhead, and 1 attempt to Cooks that resulted in defensive holding penalty). TD.
By this point, the Pats were actually running the ball quite well, especially on that 4th drive, and were up 17-7. Catches were made by Amendola, Gronk, Cooks, White, and Burkhead. At the time, it appeared the Pats had established a pretty good run-pass balance, which should have opened up a lot of space in the passing game. Of the pass attempts, you had 8 to the WR's (6 completed plus 1 penalty), 6 to the tight ends (1 completion), and 4 to the RB's (2 completions). Aside from the tight end situation, the game plan seemed to be working.
Drive #5: 1 run, 2 incomplete passes (Hogan and Cooks), 3-and-out. Still, Pats still have 17-14 lead entering locker room.
Drive #6 (ignoring the kneel down at the end of the half): 2 ineffectual runs, 3 passes (completion to Amendola, incomplete to Allen and Hogan). OK, starting to get concerned, but 2 stalled drives in a row is not yet the end of the world.
Drive #7: Pats trailing 21-17. 2 runs, 3 passes, which result in 1 completion (Amendola) and 2 defensive penalties on Mitchell (Gronk and Cooks). Results in a TD, and officially Brady is 1-1 on the drive. OK, maybe things are looking up.
Drive #8: The punt coverage unit had done the Pats no favors here, as the Chiefs were allowed to punt 3 times and essentially take the best one. Drive starts off nice with 1 big completion to Cooks, and after 2 decent pick ups by James White on the ground, the drive falters with some horrible play calling (2 ineffectual runs) and an illegal forward pass by Brady (to White). FG. But at least the Pats are up by 6.
Drive #9: The start of the downfall. 4 straight passes (completions to White and Amendola, miss on Cooks attempt, and a short completion to White again), followed by a 2nd failed 4th-and-1 running attempt.
Drive #10: Here is where the bottom falls out. After 2 Burkhead runs, the drive ends in 3 straight incompletions (Hogan, Gronk, and Cooks).
Drive #11: Down by 8 with 5 minutes to go, Brady is forced to throw. 1 sack, and 2 incomplete attempts to the WR's (Dorsett and Cooks).
Drive #12: After 2 sacks, the incompletion to James White is basically a formality.
I don't agree with the play calling as the game went on, but sometimes the games get away from even the best coaching staffs. The Pats scored on 5 of the first 8 drives, and 1 of those misses was a failed 4th-and-1 pickup. My best guess is that between Gronk's struggles, Brady being off (he did miss some open targets, which Collinsworth mentioned on the telecast), and some early (fleeting) success in the running game, McDaniels was a bit slow to adjust the play calling in the 2nd half.
To answer your question in the final sentence, the answer is a resounding "no".