NFL roundup: Chiefs tame Patriots with Swifties in thrall; Bills stomp Cowboys
Running back Jerick McKinnon threw for one touchdown and ran for another, and Patrick Mahomes passed for 305 yards and two scores to help Kansas City beat the New England Patriots 27-17 on Sunday in front of Chiefs superfan Taylor Swift.
With the pop star – and a whole bunch of Swifties – in the crowd, the defending Super Bowl champions snapped a two-game losing streak and maintained control of the AFC West race. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, who is in a relationship with Swift, caught five passes for 28 yards, but also had a potential touchdown bounce off his hands.
Bailey Zappe, making his third straight start in place of benched firstround draft pick Mac Jones, completed 23 of 31 passes for 180 yards for the Patriots. New England (3-11) lost for the sixth time in seven games and remains in contention for one of the top two picks in next year’s NFL draft.
In what could be the penultimate home game of coach Bill Belichick’s tenure, the six-time Super Bowl champions took a 10-7 lead before allowing 20 straight points.
Flexed out of Monday Night Football because of their ineptitude – an NFL first – the Patriots seemed to have third billing on the day, behind Swift and her beau’s team, which has won two of the past four NFL titles and has all of the star power New England once claimed.
Fans filed in carrying posters shouting out to Swift; others lined up along the ramps and walkways hoping she would pass by on her way to the luxury boxes. Kelce himself walked past a Swift banner that was hanging under the seats commemorating top acts that have come to Gillette Stadium.
Swift, who is on a break from her Eras Tour, was shown on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, wearing a Chiefs knit cap and sweatshirt. The crowd shrieked; she stuck out her tongue playfully, waved and blew the fans a kiss.
The Chiefs (9-5) improved to 5-2 with Swift in attendance. The best the Patriots could offer was Belichick friend Jon Bon Jovi, who rang the lighthouse bell before the game and was greeted with tepid applause when he was shown on the scoreboard during the game.
Houston Texans 19-16 Tennessee Titans (OT)
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired in overtime and the Houston Texans rallied from a 13-point deficit without CJ Stroud to beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 Sunday.
The Texans (8-6) entered the day one spot outside of the AFC’s seventeam playoff field. They kept pace by winning without several key players, including Stroud – their standout rookie quarterback – along with top receiver Nico Collins, right tackle George Fant and a pair of defensive starters out injured.
Case Keenum made his first start since Week 17 of the 2021 season for Cleveland. He filled in for Stroud, the No 2 overall pick who didn’t practice all week while in the concussion protocol and didn’t travel. Keenum threw for 229 yards and helped Houston outgain the Titans 340-204.
Titans (5-9) rookie quarterback Will Levis left with 1:49 left in overtime after being sacked for the seventh time with his left leg caught underneath him in the pile. He didn’t put pressure on the leg as he was helped off initially, then walked off. He was jogging on the sideline after a check in the medical tent.
Fairbairn, in his first game back after missing the last five with an injured quadriceps muscle, helped the Texans claw back. He made field goals of 23, 27 and 53 yards as the offense stalled close to the goal line.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-20 Green Bay Packers
Baker Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their third straight 34-20 over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Mayfield went 22 of 28 and threw touchdown passes to Mike Evans, Rachaad White, Ko Kieft and David Moore to help the Buccaneers (7-7) keep pace with New Orleans (7-7) atop the NFC North. Mayfield’s passer rating was a perfect 158.3.
Chris Godwin had 10 catches for 155 yards for the Bucs.
Green Bay (6-8) lost their second straight to deal their playoff hopes a major blow. Jordan Love was 29 of 39 for 284 yards with touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed.
This marked the third straight season in which Mayfield had faced the Packers at Lambeau Field in Decem