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Updated: December 17, 2023 @ 7:31 am
Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon gains yardage as Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) watches during the first half of an NFL football game Monday in Kansas City, Mo. The Eagles beat the Chiefs 21-17.
The Associated Press
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) catches a touchdown pass as Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee (23) defends during the first half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, in Pittsburgh.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs tosses a ball towards a photographer while warming before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, top, is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders safety Marcus Epps during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon gains yardage as Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) watches during the first half of an NFL football game Monday in Kansas City, Mo. The Eagles beat the Chiefs 21-17.
The Associated Press
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) catches a touchdown pass as Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee (23) defends during the first half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, in Pittsburgh.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs tosses a ball towards a photographer while warming before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, top, is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders safety Marcus Epps during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, in Las Vegas.
KANSAS CITY (8-5) at NEW ENGLAND (3-10)
Sunday, 1 p.m., EST, FOX
OPENING LINE: Chiefs by 8 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Kansas City 7-6; New England 3-10.
SERIES RECORD: Kansas City leads 20-16-3.
LAST MEETING: Chiefs won 26-10 in 2020.
LAST WEEK: Chiefs lost to Bills 20-17; Patriots beat Steelers 21-18.
CHIEFS OFFENSE: OVERALL (7), RUSH (17), PASS (6), SCORING (11).
CHIEFS DEFENSE: OVERALL (6), RUSH (20), PASS (6), SCORING (3).
PATRIOTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (28), RUSH (22), PASS (25), SCORING (32).
PATRIOTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (3), PASS (15), SCORING (14).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Chiefs minus-7; Patriots minus-9.
CHIEFS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Jerick McKinnon. Isiah Pacheco missed last week’s game with a shoulder injury and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a disappointing 2020 first-round pick, was largely ineffective as his replacement. That means there could be more work for McKinnon, who specializes as a third down back catching passes out of the backfield. He averaged nearly 5 yards on four carries with a TD last week against Buffalo; Edwards-Helaire carried 11 times for just 39 yards.
PATRIOTS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Ezekiel Elliott. With Rhamondre Stevenson out, the Patriots have turned to the back who earned three Pro Bowl selections with the Cowboys. Elliott carried a season-high 22 times against Pittsburgh and caught seven passes for a combined 140 yards from scrimmage.
KEY MATCHUP: The Patriots defense has been the lone bright spot this season, allowing only four touchdowns in the past four games — and two of them on short fields following turnovers. In four previous games against the Patriots, including a playoff matchup in the 2018 season, Patrick Mahomes averages 21 completions on 34 attempts for 291 yards; he has thrown for 10 touchdowns against them with three interceptions and been sacked six times.
KEY INJURIES: Pacheco missed last week’s game against the Bills along with Chiefs left tackle Donovan Smith (neck), linebacker Drue Tranquill (concussion) and safety Bryan Cook (ankle). Patriots: Stevenson (ankle) is expected to miss his second straight game. WR Demario Douglas (concussion protocol) has missed the previous two games.
SERIES NOTES: The teams are 5-5 in their past 10 games, with the Chiefs winning the past two. … The most recent New England win was a 37-31 victory in the AFC championship game in the 2018 season. … The Patriots are 5-2 (including one playoff win) against Kansas City in Gillette Stadium.
STATS AND STUFF: Kansas City is off to its worst start through 13 games since Patrick Mahomes became the starting QB in 2018. The Chiefs started 7-6 the prior season when Alex Smith was the starter. … Four of the Chiefs’ past five games have been decided by one possession. They lost three of them. … Chiefs WRs lead the NFL with 29 dropped passes. … Kansas City is minus-7 in turnover differential, better only than Carolina, New England, Las Vegas and Washington. … Mahomes has not eclipsed 300 yards passing in his past six games. He was held under 250 in four of them. … Mahomes has thrown at least one pick in four of his past six games. He has 11 interceptions through 13 games, two shy of his career worst. … The Chiefs are seventh in total offense and 11th in scoring offense. They have not finished worse than sixth in either category since 2016. … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has 80 catches this season, his eighth straight with at least that many. His streak is tied with Torry Holt, Marvin Harrison and Jerry Rice for the longest in NFL history. … WR Rashee Rice has 663 yards receiving, the fourth most by a Chiefs rookie in franchise history. He also has six TD catches, tying Fred Arbanas, Stephone Paige, Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman for the club’s rookie record. … Chiefs DE George Karlaftis has a team-leading nine sacks this season and 15 through his first season-plus. That is tied with Art Still for the fifth most by a Kansas City player in his first two seasons in the NFL. … Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie needs one sack to tie Daylon McCutcheon (five) for the most by a defensive back in his first two seasons in NFL history. … K Harrison Butker has made 61 consecutive FGs and PATs. That is one shy of his own Chiefs record set during the 2020 and ’21 seasons. … Bill Belichick is second in all-time regular-season coaching wins with 301. Andy Reid is fourth with 255. It’s the first time two coaches in the top five have faced each other since Chuck Noll and Don Shula met in 1990. … The teams’ previous matchup, in 2020, was moved from a Sunday to a Monday because of a COVID-19 outbreak. This one was moved from a Monday to a Sunday because of the Patriots’ mediocrity.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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