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Running back Jerick McKinnon threw for one touchdown and ran for another, and Patrick Mahomes passed for 305 yards and two scores to help Kansas City beat the New England Patriots 27-17 on Sunday in front of Chiefs superfan Taylor Swift.
With the pop star – and a whole bunch of Swifties – in the crowd, the defending Super Bowl champions snapped a two-game losing streak and maintained control of the AFC West race. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, who is in a relationship with Swift, caught five passes for 28 yards, but also had a potential touchdown bounce off his hands.
Bailey Zappe, making his third straight start in place of benched first-round draft pick Mac Jones, completed 23 of 31 passes for 180 yards for the Patriots. New England (3-11) lost for the sixth time in seven games and remains in contention for one of the top two picks in next year’s NFL draft.
In what could be the penultimate home game of coach Bill Belichick’s tenure, the six-time Super Bowl champions took a 10-7 lead before allowing 20 straight points.
Flexed out of Monday Night Football because of their ineptitude – an NFL first – the Patriots seemed to have third billing on the day, behind Swift and her beau’s team, which has won two of the past four NFL titles and has all of the star power New England once claimed.
Fans filed in carrying posters shouting out to Swift; others lined up along the ramps and walkways hoping she would pass by on her way to the luxury boxes. Kelce himself walked past a Swift banner that was hanging under the seats commemorating top acts that have come to Gillette Stadium.
Swift, who is on a break from her Eras Tour, was shown on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, wearing a Chiefs knit cap and sweatshirt. The crowd shrieked; she stuck out her tongue playfully, waved and blew the fans a kiss.
The Chiefs (9-5) improved to 5-2 with Swift in attendance. The best the Patriots could offer was Belichick friend Jon Bon Jovi, who rang the lighthouse bell before the game and was greeted with tepid applause when he was shown on the scoreboard during the game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-20 Green Bay Packers
Baker Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their third straight 34-20 over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Mayfield went 22 of 28 and threw touchdown passes to Mike Evans, Rachaad White, Ko Kieft and David Moore to help the Buccaneers (7-7) keep pace with New Orleans (7-7) atop the NFC North. Mayfield’s passer rating was a perfect 158.3.
Chris Godwin had 10 catches for 155 yards for the Bucs.
Green Bay (6-8) lost its second straight to deal its playoff hopes a major blow. Jordan Love was 29 of 39 for 284 yards with touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed.
This marked the third straight season in which Mayfield had faced the Packers at Lambeau Field in December – each time for a different team. He threw four interceptions in Cleveland’s 24-22 Christmas Day loss to the Packers in 2021 and was Los Angeles’ starter when the Rams fell 24-12 last 19 December.
Atlanta Falcons 7-9 Carolina Panthers
Eddy Pineiro kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired and the Carolina Panthers defeated Atlanta 9-7 in a steady downpour Sunday, dealing the Falcons playoff hopes a huge blow.
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Atlanta (6-8) entered the game tied with New Orleans and Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South, but now find themselves needing help to get into the postseason after the Saints and Buccaneers both won to improve to 7-7.
Bryce Young threw for 167 yards in his second NFL win and Chuba Hubbard ran for 87 yards for Carolina (2-12), which snapped a six-game losing streak.
The Falcons led 7-6 and were driving for more points when Desmond Ridder threw into traffic and was intercepted at the Carolina 5 by safety Xavier Woods. Young, who had struggled all afternoon, led the Panthers on a 17-play, 90-yard drive that took all 7:35 off the clock.
On the final drive, interim coach Chris Tabor took a chance when the Panthers reached the Atlanta 2 by having Young take a knee on three straight plays before sending Pineiro on the field with :01 showing on the clock.
New York Giants 6-24 New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr passed for 218 yards and three touchdowns, New Orleans sacked Tommy DeVito seven times, and the Saints defeated the New York Giants 24-6 on Sunday.
It was one of the more redemptive performances of the season for Carr, who was booed while struggling in recent home games. Not this time as he connected on 23 of 28 passes without a turnover in one of his most efficient outings of his first season with New Orleans (7-7).
And he did it without top receiver Chris Olave, who was scratched because of an ankle injury.
Carr’s scoring passes went for seven yards to Keith Kirkwood, 24 to Juwan Johnson and one to Jimmy Graham, who caught his third scoring pass in three games.
The result kept the Saints tied atop the NFC South with Tampa Bay and marked the end of a heady run for DeVito, an undrafted rookie who has become a sensation in New York by leading the Giants on a three-game winning streak that briefly pulled them back to the fringe of the NFC playoff picture.
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