Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs find a rhythm, drop Patriots

Patrick Mahomes threw for a pair of touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs rattled off 20 unanswered points to beat the New England Patriots 27-17 Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass.

Mahomes completed 27 of 37 passes for 305 yards and was picked off twice as Kansas City (9-5) snapped a modest two-game skid. Rashee Rice hauled in nine receptions for 91 yards and a score.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire headlined a Chiefs backfield that was without Isiah Pacheco (shoulder) and finished with 101 total yards of offense (37 rushing, 64 receiving) and caught a TD pass.

Bailey Zappe threw for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 23-for-31 passing for New England (3-11), which has 11 losses in a season for the first time since 2000.

Hunter Henry had seven catches for 66 yards and a TD for the Patriots.

Kansas City seized momentum with 35 seconds left in the first half, as Mahomes hit Jerick McKinnon with an 8-yard touchdown pass to give the Chiefs a 14-10 edge that they took into the break.

Harrison Butker then sandwiched a pair of third-quarter field goals — from 29 and 54 yards out — around a 6-yard Mahomes-to-Edwards-Helaire touchdown pass as Kansas City went up 27-10.

New England's Kevin Harris took a carry 18 yards to the end zone with 8:24 left in the game to forge the final score.

Two plays after Edwards-Helaire caught a screen pass and bolted 48 yards, McKinnon took a direct snap and tossed a shovel pass to Rice for a 4-yard touchdown with 1:30 left in the first quarter.

New England drew even at 7 when Zappe threw a 16-yard TD to Henry with 7:09 left in the second quarter.

Marte Mapu then picked off Mahomes and scampered down to the Kansas City 8.

Zappe and Henry hooked up for another TD, but the score was nullified due to a holding call.

Patriots kicker Chad Ryland hit a 25-yard field goal to provide the hosts with a 10-7 lead before the Chiefs took over.

—Field Level Media