Pats Hold Off Chiefs on 'Monday Night'

F O X B O R O, Mass., Dec. 5 -- One of Monday night’s least meaningfulmatchups turned into another last-minute thriller. And it endedKansas City’s final hope for a playoff berth.

The New England Patriots held on for a 30-24 victory over theChiefs in a matchup of teams going nowhere.

It was the third Monday night game in the last seven that wasdecided on the last play.

“We were able to build a big enough cushion to sustain it, butoverall, that’s not what we want,” New England coach BillBelichick said.

Elimination Time

The Chiefs (5-8) certainly didn’t since their fifth straightloss 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 mentalerrors at the wrong time. It’s eating away at me.”

Drew Bledsoe’s sore thumb didn’t stop him from having one of hisbest games, throwing for a season-high 282 yards. He completed 33passes, third-most in his career, in 48 attempts for twotouchdowns.

And Adam Vinatieri kicked three field goals, including a53-yarder that gave the Patriots (4-9) a 20-10 halftime lead.

But as the game wound down, it was sparked memories of thePatriots’ 20-19 Monday night loss to the New York Jets in Week 2when they allowed two touchdowns in the last 6:25.

The Chiefs cut the lead to 30-24 on Elvis Grbac’s 19-yard passto Kevin Lockett with 3:58 left. Then they drove to the Patriots12, but had no timeouts. Time expired when Tony Gonzalez wastackled by Tebucky Jones in the middle of the field after a 5-yardcompletion.

“I wasn’t going to let him score,” Jones said. “I knew if Imade the tackle and laid on him, the game was over.”

Grbac threw to Gonzalez, who had 11 catches for 147 yards, as alast 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 getthe ball to Tony, he can score.”