PATRIOTS POUNDED BY CHIEFS
Chiefs stun Pats, Gang Green lead AFC East
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — There were big plays all over the field. The Chiefs, not the Patriots, were making them.
Rookie Kareem Hunt, after fumbling on his first NFL carry, scored three times and set an NFL mark to help Kansas City stun New England 42-27 on Thursday night in the season opener. Hunt’s 239 yards in his pro debut were a record since the 1970 merger.
Coming off their sensational Super Bowl rally to a fifth Lombardi Trophy, the Patriots faded badly in the second half. A raucous sold-out crowd of 65,878 celebrated the unveiling of yet another championship banner, and there was plenty of talk about Tom Brady leading them to a 19-0 record.
After Week 1, though, they are winless — and the Jets are in a three-way tie for first in the AFC East.
“I just think we need to have more urgency and go out there and perform a lot better,” Brady said “It’s a winning attitude, a championship attitude you have to bring every day. We had it handed to us on our own field.”
Alex Smith threw two long touchdown passes and became the first quarterback with 300-plus yards, four TDs and no interceptions against coach Bill Belichick. The 42 points were the most the Patriots have allowed in Belichick’s 17-plus seasons.
It was the first time the Patriots lost at Gillette Stadium when lead- ing at halftime, a span of 82 games. They were no match for the Chiefs in the last two quarters.
Tyreek Hill scored on a 75-yard reception and Hunt put the Chiefs in front with a 78-yarder to punctuate Kansas City’s charge after trailing 17-14 at the half. Hunt also had a 58yard scamper and finished with 141 yards rushing and 98 receiving. Hill had 133 yards through the air, and Smith went 28 for 35 for 368 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Brady, the 13th quarterback to start an NFL game at age 40, didn’t look too spry. He struggled mightily in the second half and didn’t throw for a touchdown, finishing 16 for 36 for 267 yards.
“Just a very poor effort and we’ll have to do a lot better,” Brady said. “Didn’t make a lot of plays tonight, actually.”
The Patriots’ Mike Gillislee scored on three short runs, becoming the first player since Terrell Owens of the Eagles in 2004 to score three touchdowns in his debut with a new team.
And Kansas City aided the Patriots’ cause with 15 penalties for 139 yards. Yet, in the end, the Chiefs looked like world-beaters.