Up and down night for Gillislee in Pats debut

FOXBORO — Mike Gillislee’s debut in the Patriots backfield could best be described as a trick-or-treat affair.

Gillislee certainly made his fantasy football owners happy as he scored three touchdowns for the first time in his career. His short-yardage prowess in the vicinity of the end zone didn’t carry over at key times as he was stopped twice on fourth-and-short in the Patriots’ 42-27 loss to the Chiefs in the regular season opener last night at Gillette Stadium.

The night started well enough for Gillislee, who came over from Buffalo as a free agent in April. Two plays after his initial touchdown run was erased on a penalty, Gillislee made good on his second try, crashing in from the 2 to give the Patriots an early 7-0 lead.

On the next possession, the Patriots marched down to the Chiefs’ 10-yard line where they were faced with a fourth-and-1. They passed up the short field goal try and the gamble backfired when Gillislee was dropped for no gain by Allen Bailey and Bennie Logan.

The failure to convert would be magnified when the Chiefs proceeded to drive 90 yards in 12 plays to tie the score at 7.

“We just got to do a better job,” said fullback James Develin. “We have to go out there and be better, that’s it.”

Gillislee scored his second touchdown, matching his effort in a 38-24 loss to the Raiders last Dec. 4, when he punched it in from the 2 to push the Pats’ lead to 17-7 with 7:31 left in the half. Gillislee finished the game with 15 carries for 45 yards.

He completed the football version of the hat trick in the third quarter. Gillislee got the call on second-and-goal from the 1 and scored to give the Patriots the lead once again at 24-21 with 5:03 left in the quarter.

Gillislee was given another opportunity to produce in a crucial short-yardage situation in the fourth quarter. Facing a fourthand-1 with 12:59 left and his team trailing 28-27, Gillislee got the call. Once again, the Chiefs rose to the challenge as Frank Zombo and Justin Houston dropped him at the line of scrimmage for no gain.

As it turned out, the game was over for the Patriots as the Chiefs salted it away with a pair of touchdowns in a two-minute span.

“I’d have to go back and take a look at it,” said center David Andrews. “But they just beat us and we can’t let that happen again.”