DOWN X DOWN › week 15 › Patriots at Chiefs
Updated Nov 3, 7:02 AM ET
2026
2026this season2025final

Week 15 · Monday 8:15 PM ET · GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium

KCvsNE

Chiefs offensevsPatriots defense

Season numbers through Week 8: 7 games for Chiefs, 8 for Patriots. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.

NE offenseKC offense
Keys to the game · where this matchup tilts, from the season numbers4 reads
01
Biggest edge

Backs catch passes

Patriots give up 31 yards a game to running backs (15th), against a league average of 32. Chiefs' running backs produce 53 (1st).

02
Opportunity

Deep left is open

Patriots are worst against deep left throws, allowing +0.96 EPA per attempt. Chiefs send 3% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.

03
Watch out

Field goals, not touchdowns

Chiefs score a touchdown on 58% of red zone trips (19th). Patriots allow 57% (12th).

04
Wash

Explosive play rate

Call this one even. Chiefs create explosive plays on 10% of snaps (9th). Patriots give them up at 9% (16th).

Players to watch

NE Patriots

10Drake MayeQB · 157/234 · 1983 yds · 15 TD · 8 INTEPA per dropback +0.21 · 9th38Rhamondre StevensonRB · 96 car · 367 yds · 3 TD · 23 recEPA per touch 0.00 · 18th3DeMario DouglasWR · 26 rec · 332 yds · 4 TD · 37 tgtEPA per target +0.57 · 13th85Hunter HenryTE · 29 rec · 326 yds · 2 TD · 34 tgtEPA per target +0.55 · 5th91Elijah PonderWeakside Linebacker · 23 tackles · 6 sacks · 1 PD6 sacks · T-7th in the NFL25Marcus JonesNickel Back · 39 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 6 PD1 INT

KC Chiefs

15Patrick MahomesQB · 154/232 · 1795 yds · 12 TD · 4 INTEPA per dropback +0.14 · 14th9Kenneth Walker IIIRB · 141 car · 770 yds · 8 TD · 22 recEPA per touch +0.05 · 14th87Travis KelceTE · 29 rec · 410 yds · 2 TD · 42 tgtEPA per target +0.52 · 7th1Xavier WorthyWR · 27 rec · 230 yds · 1 TD · 41 tgtEPA per target -0.0656George KarlaftisLeft Defensive End · 24 tackles · 2 sacks · 1 INT · 8 PD2 sacks20Nohl WilliamsLeft Cornerback · 32 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 7 PD1 INT
The series · Patriots and Chiefs since 1999, and this season's records15 meetings

The Patriots lead the series 8–7 since 1999. The Chiefs have won the last 3. Dec 17, 2023, at Gillette Stadium: the Chiefs won 27–17. Bailey Zappe started at quarterback for the Patriots and Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs; Bill Belichick and Andy Reid coached.

Patriots at home6–3the Patriots' record
In Kansas City2–4the Patriots' record
Most pointsPatriots 43 · Chiefs 422018 · 2017
Biggest winPatriots by 31 · Chiefs by 272011 · 2014
Playoffs2–0the Patriots' record

The last 5

2023 · Wk 15KC 27 at NE 17
2020 · Wk 4NE 10 at KC 26
2019 · Wk 14KC 23 at NE 16
2018 · Wk 20 · OT · playoffsNE 37 at KC 31
2018 · Wk 6KC 40 at NE 43

2026 records

PatriotsChiefs
Overall5–35–2
Division3–03–1
Conference5–15–1
Other conference0–20–1
Home3–03–0
Away2–32–2
Last 5WWWLWWWWLL
StreakWon 1Lost 2
Points a game23.0 – 20.323.9 – 18.7

Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Patriots' side. Records are this regular season.

The lineups · Chiefs offense against the Patriots defenseDepth charts
Patriots defense · 3-4 DChiefs offense · 3WR 1TE70Benson66Caliendo52Humphrey65Smith77Moore87Kelce15Mahomes9Walker4Rice13Allen1Worthy97Williams94Durden90Barmore91Ponder5Jones14Spillane53Elliss0Gonzalez7Davis25Jones4Woodson31Byard

Chiefs offense · 3WR 1TE

  • QBPatrick Mahomes#15 · 154/232 · 1795 yds · 12 TD · 4 INT
  • RBKenneth Walker III#9 · 141 car · 770 yds · 8 TD · 22 rec
  • WRRashee Rice#4 · 20 rec · 243 yds · 2 TD · 25 tgt
  • WRXavier Worthy#1 · 27 rec · 230 yds · 1 TD · 41 tgt
  • WRCyrus Allen#13 · 5 rec · 65 yds · 0 TD · 9 tgt
  • TETravis Kelce#87 · 29 rec · 410 yds · 2 TD · 42 tgt
  • LTKahlil Benson#70
  • LGMike Caliendo#66
  • CCreed Humphrey#52
  • RGTrey Smith#65
  • RTJaylon Moore#77

Patriots defense · Base 3-4 D

  • RDEMilton Williams#97 · 20 tackles · 1 sack
  • NTCory Durden#94 · 19 tackles · 1.5 sacks
  • LDEChristian Barmore#90 · 7 tackles · 3.5 sacks
  • WLBElijah Ponder#91 · 23 tackles · 6 sacks · 1 PD
  • SLBDre'Mont Jones#5 · 14 tackles · 1 sack
  • RILBRobert Spillane#14 · 47 tackles · 2 PD
  • LILBChristian Elliss#53 · 58 tackles · 1.5 sacks · 1 PD
  • RCBChristian Gonzalez#0 · 21 tackles · 5 PD
  • LCBCarlton Davis III#7 · 25 tackles · 1 PD
  • NBMarcus Jones#25 · 39 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 6 PD
  • SSCraig Woodson#4 · 36 tackles · 1 INT · 3 PD
  • FSKevin Byard#31 · 40 tackles · 1 INT · 3 PD

Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.

Head to head · KC offense against NE defense
StatKC KC offFavors KC · Favors NENE NE def allowsNFL avg
Overall
EPA per play
+0.13#4
+0.01#18+0.00
Success rate
48%#6
44%#1644%
Yards per play
6.4#3
5.3#125.4
Explosive play rate
10%#9
9%#169%
Passing
Pass EPA per dropback
+0.14#9
+0.08#22+0.03
Sack rate
4%#4
8%#57%
Running
Run EPA per carry
+0.09#2
-0.09#14-0.08
Yards per carry
5.3#1
3.8#114.1
Money downs
3rd down conversion
40%#13
38%#1041%
Red zone TD rate
58%#19
57%#1261%
Targets by position
WR yards per game
118#28
152#23147
TE yards per game
85#3
52#1555
TE targets per game
8.7#7
7.9#207.6
RB receiving yards per game
53#1
31#1532
Where the ball goes · EPA per throwDeep is 15+ air yds

Chiefs: EPA per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+0.893% of throws
-0.295% of throws
+0.566% of throws
Short
+0.3026% of throws
+0.3419% of throws
+0.0741% of throws

Patriots: EPA allowed per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+0.9619 throws
+0.788 throws
+0.8111 throws
Short
+0.0483 throws
+0.4342 throws
+0.0693 throws

Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.