TEAM NOTES
- Belichick and Reid combined for most regular season wins by head coaches in a game.
- Patriots hold opponent under 3-yards per carry for third straight time and sixth time this season.
- LB Jahlani Tavia records second interception of the season.
- Rookie LB Marte Mapu records first NFL interception.
- RB Kevin Harris plays in first game of 2023 and scores second career touchdown.
HISTORIC MATCHUP
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (301) and Kansas City head coach Andy Reid (256) have combined for 557 regular seasons wins, the most in any NFL game in history among head coaches. The previous high was 496 combined regular season wins in a matchup between Dallas' Tom Landry and Miami's Don Shula.
PATRIOTS HOLD OPPONENT UNDER 3-YARDS PER CARRY FOR THIRD STRAIGHT GAME
The Patriots extended their streak to three straight games holding their opponent under 3 yards per carry after Kansas City gained 2.2-yards per carry on 20 rushing attempts for 43 yards. The last time the Patriots held their opponent under 3 yards per rush in three straight games was the first three games of the 2019 season – 2.5 ypc vs. Pittsburgh (9/8/19), 2.8 ypc at Miami (9/15/19) and 1.8 ypc vs. the New York Jets (9/22/19). The team record for most consecutive games holding the opponent under 3 yards per carry is seven straight games in 1966.
PATRIOTS HOLD OPPONENT UNDER 3 YARDS PER CARRY FOR SIXTH TIME IN 2023
The Patriots have held their opponents to under 3.0 yards per carry (ypc) six times in 2023, including in each of the last three games – 1.2 ypc vs. Los Angeles Chargers (12/3), 2.9 ypc at Pittsburgh (12/7) and 2.2 ypc vs. Kansas City (12/16). The team record for most games in a season holding the opponent under 3 yards per carry is eight in 1961 and 1968.
PATRIOTS HAVE HELD OPPONENTS TO A 3.2-YARD RUSHING AVERAGE
The Patriots defense is allowing an NFL-best 3.2-yards per carry through 14 games. If that pace holds, it will be the lowest by a team since the 2014 Detroit Lions when they allowed 3.17 yards per rush. Since the 1970 merger, only 23 teams have held their opponent to 3.2-yards per rush or less. If the Patriots hold, it will be the lowest in team history since the 1970 merger. The current best is 3.4 yards per carry by the 1974 team.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
TAVAI HAS SECOND PICK OF THE SEASON
LB Jahlani Tavia registered his second interception of the season when he picked off a QB Patrick Mahomes pass in the fourth quarter. He had his second career interception and first as a member of the Patriots at Las Vegas on Oc.t 15, 2023. Tavia is the first Patriots linebacker with at least two picks in a season since LB Jamie Collins Sr. had three interceptions in 2019.
MARTE MAPU HAS FIRST CAREER INTERCEPTION
Rookie LB Marte Mapu intercepted a QB Patrick Mahomes pass in the second quarter for his first NFL interception and returned the pick 20 yards to the Kansas City 8-yard line. The Patriots converted the turnover into a 25-yard field goal.
BARINGER EXTENDS TEAM MARK WITH 14 STRAIGHT GAMES WITH AT LEAST ONE 50-YARD PUNT
Baringer has at least one 50-yard punt in all 14 games to extend the team record for the longest single season streak in team history (at any point of the season) with his 54-yard punt in the first quarter. Zoltan Mesko had a 12-game streak in 2011. Last season, Johnny Hekker (Carolina), Ryan Stonehouse (Tennessee) and Cameron Johnston (Houston) all had at least one 50-yard punt in all 17 games. Johnston also accomplished the feat in 2017.
BARINGER ADDED A 64-YARD PUNT IN THE THIRD QUARTER
Baringer had a 64-yard punt in the third quarter and now has 10 punts of at least 60 yards in 2023.
KEVIN HARRIS SCORES ON AN 18-YARD RUN
RB Kevin Harris was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad and played in his first game of the season. He scored on an 18-yard run in the fourth quarter for his second NFL touchdown. He had a 14-yard touchdown run at Arizona on Dec. 12, 2022 as a rookie. Harris finished with 4 carries for 25 yards and one touchdown.
REAGOR HAS A 40-YARD KICKOFF RETURN IN THE THIRD QUARTER
WR Jalen Reagor returned a kickoff 40 yards in the second quarter. It is his second career 40-yard kickoff return. Both of his 40-yard returns are against Kansas City. He had a career-best 44-yard return on Oct. 3, 2021 vs. Kansas City when he played for Philadelphia.
LINEUP NOTES
- RB JaMycal Hasty made his debut in a New England uniform on special teams.
- DB Alex Austin made his first NFL start and first start for the Patriots. He finished with 3 total tackles.
- WR Demario Douglas returned to game action after missing two games due to injury and was in the starting lineup.
- WR DeVante Parker returned after missing one game due to injury and was in the starting lineup.
- Newly acquired LB Christian Eliss made his debut with New England on special teams. He had one special teams tackle.
- RB Kevin Harris was elevated from the active roster and saw his first action of the 2023 season.
- OL Conor McDermott started in place of T Trent Brown, who was inactive due to injury/illness. It was his fifth start at left tackle in 2023.
- DB Brenden Schooler lined up for a second quarter punt return. It was the first time he lined up for a punt return in his career.
