Shorthanded Pats stay close, but clutch plays power Chiefs
Tight end lifts Packers with 3 TDs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s hard enough to slow down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs under the best of circumstances.
Try doing it with your star quarterback shelved by COVID-19, a 34-year-old journeyman taking his place, your top running back headed to injured reserve and a flight that didn’t land in Kansas City until shortly before kickoff.
Yet the New England Patriots still managed to give the Chiefs fits for most of the way Monday night, hanging within a field goal of the Super Bowl champs until late in the third quarter. It wasn’t until Tyrann Mathieu took an interception back for a touchdown in the fourth that Kansas City clinched its 26-10 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.
“You’ve seen it this season. You’ve seen it last season. Even if you hold us down, we can go out there and make plays when they count,” said Mahomes, who threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns. “When your number is called you have to make plays, and I thought enough guys made plays that we were able to get out of there with a win.”
Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman had the TD grabs for the Chiefs, who have now won 13 straight games.
“We made plays when we had to make plays,” coach Andy Reid said, “and we can learn from this. We have to do better in a lot of areas, but it’s tough to win
in this league and it’s tough to beat the Patriots in any situation.”
Perhaps a bit easier in this one.
The marquee matchup was supposed to be Sunday, but it was put on pause when New England confirmed that a player — later revealed to be Cam Newton — tested positive for COVID-19. Later on Saturday, it came out that Chiefs practice squad QB Jordan Ta’amu also had tested positive, forcing the NFL to postpone the game.
More tests, including one taken at 6 a.m. on Monday, returned no additional positives from either team.
With their quarterback sidelined, and running back Sony Michel hitting the IR with a quad injury, the Patriots (2-2) were forced to lean on journeyman Brian Hoyer and a cast of running backs that never got into much of a rhythm.
Hoyer, who has now lost 11 straight starts for three different teams, was 15 of
24 for 130 yards and an interception before getting benched in the second half. Jarrett Stidham led the Patriots to a touchdown to close to 13-10, but he also threw two interceptions, including the pick-six to Mathieu that propelled the Chiefs to their fourth straight 4-0 start.
“We had some opportunities tonight (and) weren’t able to take advantage of them. You can’t give a team like that those kind of opportunities,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “Turned the ball over four times. Had too many penalties.”
Packers 30, Falcons 16
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers needed someone to step forward when injuries left their top two wide receivers unavailable.
That made it the perfect showcase for tight end Robert Tonyan to continue his breakthrough season.
Tonyan caught three of Aaron Rodgers’ four touch
down passes, Za’Darius Smith recorded three sacks and the Packers remained unbeaten with a victory over the winless Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
“I just had to continue to do what I’ve been doing, just keep playing well and stick to the game plan,” Tonyan said. “Like I’ve said before, when plays come to me, I’ve got to make them. Aaron had a nice little look in his eye tonight, so I just was trying to roll with that.”
The Packers (4-0) have opened a season by scoring at least 30 points in four straight games for the first time in franchise history.
Green Bay star receiver Davante Adams sat out a second straight game with a hamstring injury and Allen Lazard is on injured reserve with a core problem. A knee injury sidelined veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis.
Yet that didn’t slow down Rodgers, who capitalized on Atlanta’s depleted secondary.