Tom Brady, Patriots Survive Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs in 43-40 Shootout on SNF

For the second year in a row, the Kansas City Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season in Week 6.

Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes went toe-to-toe in an epic battle, but the New England Patriots outlasted the Chiefs in a 43-40 win Sunday night.

After Mahomes found Tyreek Hill for a 75-yard touchdown that—with the extra point—tied the game with three minutes remaining, Brady led a last-minute drive that ended in a Stephen Gostkowski game-winning field goal as time expired.

Brady finished with 340 passing yards and two total scores, while Mahomes had 352 passing yards and four touchdowns in the loss.

Patrick Mahomes Hype Train Not Slowing Down Despite Inconsistent Game

As well as he has played throughout the season, the odds were against Mahomes going into this game.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has feasted on young quarterbacks in his career, with starting quarterbacks under 25 years old entering with an 0-23 record in Foxborough, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

In the first half, Mahomes looked like another victim of the difficult scheming.

The Patriots disguised blitzes and coverages and forced the quarterback into two bad interceptions:

He also uncharacteristically missed some wide-open receivers down the field.

There was a different look in the second half, however, as Mahomes started making incredible throws both on the run and in the pocket:

By the time he found Hill for the receiver's third touchdown of the game, it was clear the Patriots couldn't do anything to stop him.

Even with the early mistakes and stalls in the red zone, the Chiefs still put up 40 points on the road, as Mahomes showed on the national stage why the start of his career has been so exciting.

Considering this was still just his seventh career NFL start, there will likely be some more growing pains as the year continues. At the same time, the 23-year-old showed he can beat any game plan, and he will only get better.

This was his first loss as a starter, but everyone should come away impressed with his performance.

Sony Michel Has Transformed Patriots Offense

Tom Brady is still Tom Brady. Even at 41 years old, he is still one of the best in the NFL at his position.

This rushing touchdown was one of the toughest runs of his career:

However, the Patriots offense could be even more dangerous than it has in the past thanks to the balance provided by Sony Michel.

The rookie finished the Week 6 game with 24 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns. While he was known for his agility in college, his power was on display on a couple of short touchdown runs.

He looked like LeGarrette Blount with his first score:

His strength to run inside added with his breakaway ability when given a hole provides the Patriots with a legitimate threat on the ground for the first time in years. Opponents have to account for Michel when he's on the field, instead of the usual strategy of trying to stop Brady and hoping the running game doesn't beat you.

With 67 carries over the last three games, the young player is also showing he can be the type of workhorse we haven't seen from this team in a long time.

This will keep pressure off Brady while also opening even more plays for receivers down the field.

Chiefs Defense Must Improve to Reach Expectations

The Chiefs were considered one of the best teams in the AFC prior to this game, and the hype likely won't slow down much after the narrow loss to New England.

The excitement over the first two months has been thanks to the offense, but it has masked the problems with the defense.

New England moved the ball consistently against the Chiefs, totaling 500 yards from scrimmage.

The Patriots became the fourth team in six weeks to score 27 points or more against this unit, a number that doesn't often lead to too many wins. They were the second team to reach 37 points.

Those watching along noticed the problems on that side of the ball:

Injuries have been a major problem, with key players like Eric Berry, Justin Houston and Eric Murray unavailable, but there are holes at all three levels even at full strength.

Whether it takes personnel changes, coaching adjustments or some combination of the two, the Chiefs need defensive improvements to make a deep playoff run.

What's Next?

Both teams will face opponents coming off disappointing losses in Week 7. The Patriots will go on the road to face the Chicago Bears, a team that lost in overtime Sunday, while the Chiefs will host a Cincinnati Bengals squad that suffered a last-minute loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6.