Instant Takeaways From Patriots' 26-10 Loss To Chiefs
The Cam Newton-less New England Patriots couldn't beat the Kansas City Chiefs, losing by a score of 26-10 Monday night.
Between bad quarterback play and some controversial calls, it wasn't New England's night to win, plain and simple.
Let's review some of the instant takeaways following the second loss of the season for the six-time Super Bowl champions.
Damien Harris Starter, Earns Most Carries
In their first game since Sony Michel was placed on injured reserve, the Patriots relied on second-year running back Damien Harris, who returned from injured reserve this week, to shoulder the workload. Harris was the starter for New England in the backfield, and carried the football 17 times for 100 yards.
Harris looked fresh, ran hard, and overall had a promising showing against the Chiefs. That's great news for a New England backfield that is craving a reliable, early-down runner.
Patriots Defense Comes Up Big Against Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
On a night in which the New England defense needed to be stout in order for the Patriots to compete for four quarters, they did.
They gave up 19 points to the Chiefs offense, keeping all of their speedy pass catchers in front of them, which prevented many big plays and ultimately kept New England in the game for most of the night. Unfortunately, the New England offense made too many mistakes, scoring just one touchdown and a field goal in Week 4, which wasn't enough to outscore a tamed Kansas City offense.
Brian Hoyer Starts, Jarrett Stidham Finishes
Brian Hoyer was named the starting quarterback for the Chiefs. But he didn't finish the game under center. Hoyer through three quarters completed 15 of 24 passes for 130 yards, one interception and plenty of bone-headed plays to go along with that stat line.
At the end of the third quarter Hoyer was replaced by Jarrett Stidham, who led a drive that resulted in New England's first touchdown of the game, which came on a fade pass to N'Keal Harry in the left corner of the end zone.
Stidham wouldn't find much success after that, though. He finished the night completing five of 13 passes for 60 yards, throwing that one touchdown pass and two interceptions, one of which was a pick-six.
Patriots' Offensive Line Has a Surprising Starter
We knew New England's offensive line would look a little different when it was announced prior to the game that starting right guard Shaq Mason was inactive. However, the line looked even more different once they took the field for the first time Monday night.
Along with Michael Onwenu starting at right guard and James Ferentz at center, rookie Justin Herron drew the start at right tackle. Why? Well, a few minutes after the game starter it was announced that Jermaine Eluemunor was questionable to play because of migraines.
Overall, Herron did an excellent job as Eluemunor's replacement. It was a very strong performance for the rookie sixth-round pick.
Refs, Belichick Botch Potential Turnover in Second Quarter
In the second quarter, both the referees and Bill Belichick made some head-scratching calls. Patrick Mahomes threw what looked to be an interception, however, the referees called him down since he int he grasp of a Patriots defender. However, the replay showed that Mahomes got rid of the football before the whistle was blown, and the ball was caught by Shilique Calhoun before it hit the ground.
But for some reason, Belichick didn't challenge the play. He was visibly furious about the call on the field, but did not throw the red flag. So, the Chiefs punted the football instead. Why? I wish I had an answer for you. But I don't.
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