FOXBOROUGH, Mass., Sporting Alert — At the end of the first half between the Patriots and the Chiefs, the home side New England lead the clash 17-14 with Alex Smith already passing for two TDs for Kansas City. Tom Brady is yet to throw a TD pass in the game.
The new NFL season kicks-off on Thursday with defending champion New England Patriots starting their Super Bowl title defense at home against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium.
Game time for this one is set for 8:30 PM ET and live TV broadcast will be on NBC, with the NBC Online Player streaming the coverage as well.
WATCH: Football Night in America | Gamecast
SCORING SUMMARY
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2nd and Goal at KC 2
(9:49 – 1st) Mike Gillislee 2 Yard Rush S.Gostkowski extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Cardona, Holder-R.Allen.
Patriots 7, Chiefs 0 -
3rd and Goal at NE 7
(3:03 – 1st) Demetrius Harris Pass From Alex Smith for 7 Yrds C.Santos extra point is GOOD
Patriots 7, Chiefs 7
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4th and 1 at KC 8
(14:56 – 2nd) S.Gostkowski 25 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-J.Cardona, Holder-R.Allen
Patriots 10, Chiefs 7
-
1st and Goal at KC 2
(7:27 – 2nd) N.Solder reported in as eligible. M.Gillislee left guard for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. S.Gostkowski extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Cardona, Holder-R.Allen
Patriots 17, Chiefs 7
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2nd and Goal at NE 3
(0:13 – 2nd) Kareem Hunt Pass From Alex Smith for 3 Yrds C.Santos extra point is GOOD
Patriots 17, Chiefs 14
-
1st and 10 at KC 25
(9:19 – 3rd) Tyreek Hill Pass From Alex Smith for 75 Yrds C.Santos extra point is GOOD
Patriots 17, Chiefs 21 -
2nd and Goal at KC 1
(5:01 – 3rd) Mike Gillislee 1 Yard Rush S.Gostkowski extra point is GOOD
Patriots 24, Chiefs 21
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4th and Goal at KC 14
(0:12 – 3rd) S.Gostkowski 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-J.Cardona, Holder-R.Allen
Patriots 27, Chiefs 21
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1st and 10 at KC 22
(14:07 – 4th) Kareem Hunt Pass From Alex Smith for 78 Yrds C.Santos extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Winchester, Holder-D.Colquitt.
Patriots 27, Chiefs 28
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1st and Goal at NE 4
(5:14 – 4th) (Shotgun) K.Hunt right end for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. C.Santos extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Winchester, Holder-D.Colquitt
Patriots 27, Chiefs 35
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1st and 10 at NE 21
(4:00 – 4th) C.West right guard for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN. C.Santos extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Winchester, Holder-D.Colquitt
Patriots 27, Chiefs 42
The following are the inactive players for tonight’s game.
Inactive for the Chiefs are quarterback Tyler Bray, linebacker Reggie Ragland, offensive lineman Parker Ehinger, defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins and cornerback D.J. White.
For the Patriots, they are without top two special teams players in Matthew Slater and Nate Ebner who are inactive with hamstring and shoulder problems.
The other inactives for the defending champions are tight end Jacob Hollister, linebacker Harvey Langi, as well as offensive linemen Cameron Fleming and Cole Croston and tackle Vincent Valentine.
Meanwhile, Kansas City will have starting safety Ron Parker available and will play after he had been listed as questionable on the week’s final injury report.
THE HUNT BEGINS
When the season kicks-off Thursday night, the Patriots will begin their quest for a sixth title in the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady era but will have to so without injured top receiver Julian Edelman.
Edelman, the leading target for Brady last season, was supposed to play an essential part in New England’s search of back-to-back championships but will now miss the entire 2017 campaign due to an ACL injury suffered in the preseason.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, a victory tonight for Brady would give him his 13th in season openers, which would see him drawing level with Peyton Manning for the most in the Super Bowl era.
ESPN Stats and Info also noted that Brady is 52-1 in his last 53 home games against AFC opponents.
The New England Patriots have a 74.6 percent chance of winning against the Chiefs, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
