What went right for the Pats …
1. Play the schedule — Give the Patriots’ defense credit where it’s due. Sure, you can say it came against a Chiefs team with a brand new QB and not many offensive weapons, but the Pats got it done. They were supposed to play this way against a team with this caliber, and they did.
2. Paging Lt. Dangle — It’s been a rough season for Julian Edelman on and off the field, but perhaps Monday will mark the turnaround. Edelman saw some time on a depleted secondary and held his own. His biggest play was a punt return for a TD that made it, 24-3.
3. Trust the law firm — It still wasn’t dominating, but the running game was consistent. At this point, that’s a great sign for the Pats. Starter BenJarvus Green-Ellis led the way with 81 yards on 20 carries, but it was rookie Shane Vereen who rushed for the lone TD — the first one of his pro career — in the closing seconds of the game.
What went wrong …
1. Slow starters. The Pats gave fans a scare to start the game when Kansas City got on the board first and led 3-0 going into the second quarter. Chalk it up to sloppy play at the gate, as the Patriots went punt, punt, fumble, punt, before finally scoring their first TD with 4:25 to go in the second quarter.
2. Not receiving the call.
3. Tom not-terrific?— It woudn’t make sense to say Brady was “bad.” He wasn’t. But at the same time he could have been better. The Chiefs got to him a few times, and actually made him fumble once. When the dust settled Brady was 15-27 for 234 yards and two TDs. Meh.
