3 Takeaways from Patriots' Week 15 Loss vs. Chiefs
The New England Patriots failed to put together their first winning streak of the season with a Week 15 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Patriots were at least competitive for a half against one of the NFL's best teams, which is something you could not say about the team a few weeks ago.
Bailey Zappe once again displayed some positive signs at quarterback and it is clear he has a connection with the veteran pass-catchers on the roster.
The New England defense did not play up to its usual high standard to contain the Chiefs in order to try and spring an upset at Gillette Stadium.
Patrick Mahomes carved up the New England secondary without a high usage rate for Travis Kelce.
Mahomes used his other offensive weapons to put up 27 points and have a victory comfortably in the bag by the start of the fourth quarter.
Patriots Defense Allowed Highest Point Total Since Week 8
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New England's defense kept the team in a handful of games this season, but Kansas City's offense was too much to handle on Sunday.
The Patriots conceded their highest point total since their Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Mahomes and Co. posted 27 points on the Patriots defense, which was the fourth-highest point total allowed by the AFC East side this season.
The Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys are the only other sides to put up more points on the Patriots defense.
New England contained Kelce to 28 yards on five catches, but it failed to limit the production of Rashee Rice and Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Rice led all players with nine catches for 91 yards, while Edwards-Helaire had 101 total yards.
Mahomes' strength in the passing game allowed Kansas City to pull away in the third quarter with a Edwards-Helaire touchdown catch and two field goals.
The Patriots were not making up a 17-point deficit with the offense they had on Sunday, or have had for the entire season.
Bailey Zappe Continued to Show Some Positives
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Zappe continued to look like a serviceable NFL quarterback on Sunday.
He passed for 180 yards and a touchdown to complete the best two-game stretch by a New England quarterback since Mac Jones' consecutive 200-yard games in Weeks 6 and 7.
Zappe at least looks comfortable in the pocket, which is something that could not be said about Jones in his final weeks as the starting quarterback.
The Western Kentucky product has the potential to keep the Patriots in their final three games against the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets.
Zappe has 420 passing yards in the last two weeks, and if he plays well to close out the regular season, he will have a strong case to stick around next season as the backup to whomever the Patriots draft at quarterback.
Hunter Henry's Resurgence
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Hunter Henry experienced his best two games of the season with Zappe at quarterback.
The veteran tight end caught his third touchdown in two games on Sunday and totaled season highs of seven catches and 66 yards.
It is clear that Zappe has a high comfort level with Henry in the passing game and that unlocked an element of the offense that Jones could not find.
Henry did leave the game with a knee injury after a hard hit on one of his catches, but he is only listed as questionable.
The Patriots may not want to win any more games to preserve their draft position, but if they want to be competitive, Henry will play a major role in doing so.
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