New England Patriots

Live updates from the NFL kickoff game between the Patriots and the Chiefs

Tom Brady gestures during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

By Nicole Yang

6 minutes to read

Follow along below for updates and analysis as New England and Kansas City square off at Gillette Stadium for the first game of the NFL regular season:

Fourth quarter

Charcandrick West runs the ball 21 yards for a Kansas City touchdown:

(Patriots 27, Chiefs 42).

Kansas City’s Eric Berry exits the game due to his achilles: The team announced that he will not return to the game.

Hunt runs the ball in for a four-yard touchdown: (Patriots 27, Chiefs 35)

https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/906003997974134785

Danny Amendola will not return to the game with a head injury:

Alex Smith hits Hunt again for another touchdown: (Patriots 27, Chiefs 28).

Third quarter

Gostkowski hits a 31-yard field goal:

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 On that same drive, Brady and Cooks connected for a 54-yard gain (Patriots 27, Chiefs 21).

Gillislee scores his third touchdown of the game: (Patriots 24, Chiefs 21).

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/905991639071571969

After going down from an apparent knee injury, Dont’a Hightower enters the medical tent: Following his visit, he rode the stationary bike. The Patriots have ruled his return as questionable.

Alex Smith hits Tyreek Hill for a 75-yard touchdown: (Patriots 17, Chiefs 21).

Second quarter

Alex Smith hits Kareem Hunt for a 3-yard touchdown:

(Patriots 17, Chiefs 14).

https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/905978020816494592

Deatrich Wise Jr. earned the first NFL sack of his career: The play led to a loss of 12 yards and a Kansas City punt.

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Gillislee takes the ball into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game: He had six carries for 38 yards on the drive (Patriots 17, Chiefs 7).

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/905971115289227264

First quarter

Stephen Gostkowski kicks a 25-yard field goal to give New England the lead:

On that same drive, James White gave a Kansas City defender quite the stiff arm. (Patriots 10, Chiefs 7)

Kansas City takes the ball 90 yards down the field, and Alex Smith connects with Demetrius Harris for the 7-yard touchdown: New England’s 38-0 scoring run dating back to the Super Bowl comes to an end. (Patriots 7, Chiefs 7)

New England comes up short on a 4-and-1 to give Kansas City the ball back on the Patriots’ 10-yard line:

Brady hits Rob Gronkowski for a 20-yard catch in the end zone, but the reception is ruled incomplete upon official review:

https://twitter.com/ezlazar/status/905958600845266944

Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt’s first carry in the NFL is a fumble: Patriots safety Jordon Richards forced the turnover and fellow safety Devin McCourty recovered the ball for New England on Kansas City’s 32-yard line.

Mike Gillisee’s first carry is in for the touchdown but gets called back after a holding penalty: Following a Brady incompletion, however, the running back is given another opportunity to take the ball into the end zone and succeeds, making his first official carry a touchdown. (Patriots 7, Kansas City 0)

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https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/905956504091680768

Brady and new Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks connect for their first reception of the season: New England is running a no-huddle offense.

Brady misses a wide open Dwayne Allen for his first pass attempt of the regular season:

Pre-game

Kansas City’s Marcus Peters sits during the national anthem:

The Patriots lose the coin toss and will receive the ball to start the game: 

Mark Wahlberg is the emcee for the pre-game ceremony: The actor introduces former Patriots, Matt Light, Kevin Faulk, Deion Branch, as well as current team member Edelman to hold four of their five Vince Lombardi trophies. Team owner Robert Kraft comes out with the fifth, as the team reveals their newest Super Bowl banner.

Former Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light is on the field to introduce the musical guest for the evening: rapper Flo Rida.

Roger Goodell has stepped onto the field: Fans already present at the stadium promptly drowned him in boos.

The Patriots and the Chiefs have announced their list of inactives for the game: Among those not playing for New England is wide receiver Matthew Slater, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury.

Malcolm Mitchell has reportedly been placed on injured reserve: The wide receiver has been ruled out for at least the next eight weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

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It’s banner night: After a bit of reconstruction to make room for their latest Super Bowl banner, the Patriots have been planning to make the big reveal on opening night. As team owner Robert Kraft put it, “We have a surprise for our fans.”

The Patriots are giving a final homage to 28-3: There’s no denying that offseason references to the infamous Super Bowl LI deficit were abundant, but New England opted for a one last reminder before the start of the new season. Hours before kickoff, the chyron at Gillette read: ATL 28, NE 3 with 2:12 remaining the third quarter.

Patriots players are generating excitement via social media: 

Tom Brady shared a dramatic Week 1 hype video that featured clips and sound bites from Super Bowl LI, an image of a lion, and quotes from philosopher Alan Watts. Brady will be making his 18th start with the Patriots, which is the most by any quarterback with a single team. Should New England emerge victorious, he will tie Peyton Manning for the most opening weekend wins in league history, with 13. Brady is currently 12-2 overall and 8-0 at home during Week 1.

https://www.facebook.com/TomBrady/videos/vb.214003275307497/1710578142316662/?type=2&theater

Wide receiver Julian Edelman, who is out for the season, also posted a powerful image of just a team helmet on the field.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYwSSKChhQJ/?taken-by=edelman11

Barstool Sports and founder Dave Portnoy are readying their 70,000 rally towels: As part of Operation Clown Face, Portnoy has ordered 70,000 turquoise rally towels featuring Roger Goodell’s face with a red clown nose. The image, which originated as a Barstool t-shirt, has reportedly annoyed the commissioner in past, so Portnoy wants to provoke that irritation by distributing them to fans attending Thursday night’s contest.

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Although he will be in attendance, Patriots fans may not see much of Roger Goodell: Given his understanding of Boston sports fanbase, Goodell is making a conscious effort to evade their intensity. According to Sports Illustrated’s Kayln Kahler, the commissioner will wrap up his pregame duties early and will likely be off the field before fans arrive ” in an effort to mitigate the negative reaction.”

Per WEEI and ESPN, he also will not be watching the game from Kraft’s box, where he had sat for the Patriots preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That game, which took place in August, was Goodell’s first visit back to Gillette since January 2015.

“A league source told me Mr. Kraft has moved on from Deflategate, but the fanbase has not,” Sal Paolantonio said on ESPN.

Roger Goodell expects that Patriots fans will demonstrate their loyalty at Gillette Stadium: As evidenced by the resounding boos during the Super Bowl LI trophy presentation, Goodell is not very well-liked in New England for his treatment of quarterback Tom Brady during the Deflategate controversy. On FS1, he talked about how he was going to be received:

“I am excited about being there,” he said. “Fans are passionate and they are loyal, you expect that, and you want that. That is what is great about our game. Patriots fans are going to show that loyalty tonight I’m sure.”

https://twitter.com/FTFonFS1/status/905779474482044928