FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots unveiled their fifth Super Bowl banner, held a pre-game celebration that boasted five oversized Lombardi Trophies and included a performance from rapper Flo Rida, and their fans taunted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell with clown noses.
And then the Patriots lost their home opener Thursday night to the Kansas City Chiefs, 42-27, in giving up the most points and yards (537) in a single game during the Bill Belichick era.
This was not the crisp, clean performance the Patriots have become known for over the past few seasons, as New England struggled to get new additions to its roster to play seamlessly.