The Kansas City Chiefs desperately needed a victory over the New England Patriots as they traveled to Foxboro after 2 consecutive defeats. Once they were assured of beating the home team, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was not about to pour it on by scoring a late touchdown or field goal. He has too much respect for New England head coach Bill Belichick, and he paid his respect to his rival.

The Chiefs were not back in top form against the Patriots, but the defending Super Bowl champions scored a 27-17 victory over the hosts.

The Patriots were unable to move the ball late in the 4th quarter, and when Bailey Zappe's fourth-down pass from the New England 7 fell incomplete, the Chiefs took over at that point with 2:28 remaining. Instead of punching the ball in the end zone and extending the lead, the Chiefs had quarterback Patrick Mahomes kneel down on 3 consecutive plays.

That included the 4th down play when Reid could have sent Harrison Butker out to attempt a chip-shot field goal.

Andy Reid explained that he did not want to run up the score on Belichick, calling him “the best” to ever coach in the NFL.

The Chiefs scored a late touchdown in the first half on an 8-yard pass from Mahomes to Jerick McKinnon that allowed them to take a 14-10 lead at halftime.

Kansas City put the game away in the the third quarter by outscoring thePatriots 13-0. Butker kicked 2 field goals and Mahomes threw a 6-yard TD pass to running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Mahomes completed 27 of 37 passes for 305 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.