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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- One of Monday night's least meaningful
matchups turned into another last-minute thriller. And it ended
Kansas City's final hope for a playoff berth.
|  | | Kevin Faulk had 52 yards rushing and leapt to this first-quarter TD for New England. |
The New England Patriots held on for a 30-24 victory over the
Chiefs in a matchup of teams going nowhere.
It was the third Monday night game in the last seven that was
decided on the last play.
"We were able to build a big enough cushion to sustain it, but
overall, that's not what we want," New England coach Bill
Belichick said.
The Chiefs (5-8) certainly didn't since their fifth straight
loss eliminated them from playoff contention.
"We play as hard as any team can, but it's disheartening,"
Kansas City coach Gunther Cunningham said. "We keep making mental
errors at the wrong time. It's eating away at me."
Drew Bledsoe's sore thumb didn't stop him from having one of his
best games, throwing for a season-high 282 yards. He completed 33
passes, third-most in his career, in 48 attempts for two
touchdowns.
And Adam Vinatieri kicked three field goals, including a
53-yarder that gave the Patriots (4-9) a 20-10 halftime lead.
But as the game wound down, it was sparked memories of the
Patriots' 20-19 Monday night loss to the New York Jets in Week 2
when they allowed two touchdowns in the last 6:25.
The Chiefs cut the lead to 30-24 on Elvis Grbac's 19-yard pass
to Kevin Lockett with 3:58 left. Then they drove to the Patriots
12, but had no timeouts. Time expired when Tony Gonzalez was
tackled by Tebucky Jones in the middle of the field after a 5-yard
completion.
"I wasn't going to let him score," Jones said. "I knew if I
made the tackle and laid on him, the game was over."
Grbac threw to Gonzalez, who had 11 catches for 147 yards, as a
last desperate attempt.
"I probably should have thrown the ball into the end zone,"
said Grbac, who was 25-for-46 for 350 yards and three touchdowns.
"But I saw Tony was open and I got him the ball. Any time I get
the ball to Tony, he can score."
This time, Gonzalez didn't.
The Chiefs gave up two fumbles after losing just four all season
and wasted Grbac's 81-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Alexander, who
has three scoring catches of over 80 yards in his career plus an
82-yard TD run.
The loss came eight days after Kansas City became San Diego's
only victim of the season. Grbac missed that game with an injured
right index finger.
The Patriots treated a chilly crowd -- missing 9,964 no-shows --
to their best offensive display of a season in which they often
faltered in the waning moments of games. They entered with a 7-18
Monday night record, worst in the AFC.
"We know we are out of the playoffs, but it is a big win,"
Patriots wide receiver Tony Simmons said. "It builds our
confidence."
The win was some consolation after their 34-9 loss in Detroit on
national television on Thanksgiving Day.
"After the last game, we were really faced with a challenge,"
Bledsoe said. "Which way were we going to go? Were we going to
mail it in the last four games or come out and compete?"
Bledsoe, who had thrown just two touchdown passes in his
previous six games, threw a 17-yarder to Troy Brown and a 1-yarder
to tight end Jermaine Wiggins, signed seven days earlier after
being cut by the Jets.
Bledsoe completed all seven passes during the drive that was
capped by Wiggins' touchdown to make it 27-10 with 7:09 left in the
third.
"It's still a little sore," Bledsoe said of his thumb. "It
doesn't have a profound effect."
The Chiefs marched back, reaching the New England 27, but Otis
Smith intercepted Grbac's pass at the 4 and returned it 56 yards.
The Patriots couldn't capitalize as Vinatieri's 37-yard field-goal
attempt went wide, ending his streak of 16 successful kicks.
Grbac then threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Gonzalez, cutting the
lead to 27-17 with 13:43 left. But Sylvester Morris' fumble on the
Chiefs' next possession was recovered by Tony George and led to
Vinatieri's 27-yard field goal with 7:37 remaining.
He also hit a 48-yarder on the first series before Todd Peterson
tied it with a 42-yard field goal.
The Patriots, who had just two touchdowns in their previous
three games, scored two in the first half on Kevin Faulk's 1-yard
dive and Bledsoe's pass to Brown, who had a career-high 12 catches
for 119 yards.
In between those scores, the Chiefs tied it on Grbac's pass to
Alexander. It was Alexander's fourth touchdown of more than 80
yards in two seasons.
Game notes
The Patriots, who allowed opponents to convert on 54
percent of their third downs, permitted the Chiefs just 40 percent
(6-for-15). ... Bledsoe called a timeout, then tried to wave it off
with 2:09 left in the first half. The officials wouldn't let him,
but two plays later he threw his touchdown pass to Brown. ...
Gonzalez's 147 yards and Alexander's five for 116 yards, extended
the franchise record set this season to 14 100-yard receiving
performances.
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ALSO SEE
Kansas City Clubhouse
New England Clubhouse
Week 14 wrap-ups
TJ's Take on Week 14
Week 14 infirmary report
Prime Time Players
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Drew Bledsoe talks with ESPN's Ann Werner following the Patriots victory over the Chiefs.
wav: 534 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
ESPN's Ann Werner catches up with the Patriots' Otis Smith after the game.
wav: 465 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Troy Brown talks with ESPN's Ann Werner after his 119-yard performance.
wav: 448 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Drew Bledsoe tells ABC's Melissa Stark the no-huddle offense played a big role in their victory.
wav: 278 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Troy Brown tells ABC's Eric Dickerson the long break helped him recover for tonight game.
wav: 153 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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