Kareem Hunt, Chiefs serve notice to NFL

The Kansas City Chiefs were nine-point underdogs on Thursday night in their game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. New England was raising its fifth Super Bowl banner, and the Chiefs were walking into a building that had seen nothing but AFC opponents going down since 2007.

The stage was set for a coronation. Instead, the king was crowned over the head.

Kansas City took a wrecking ball to any hopes of 16-0 for the Patriots, beating them 42-27 in a game that wasn’t even that close. The Chiefs scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, becoming the first team to beat the Patriots at home when they entered the final period with a led.

After fumbling on his first NFL touch, rookie running back Kareem Hunt made himself into an overnight sensation. The former star at the University of Toledo ran all over Bill Belichick’s defense, gaining 148 yards on 17 carries, while catching five passes for 98 yards. All told, Hunt set an NFL record dating back to the merger in 1970 for a debut, racking up 246 yards and three touchdowns.

Alex Smith was every bit as good and then some, completing 28-of-35 throws for 368 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Smith, long known as a game manager, was anything but on Thursday, throwing downfield to both Tyreek Hill and Hunt. Despite New England taking a 7-0 lead, and then a 17-7 advantage, the Chiefs and Smith never panicked, and it led to an improbable victory.

While the potential loss of Eric Berry looms large for Kansas City, it can’t dim what was a statement to the rest of the league. The Chiefs have been viewed — and correctly so — as a good team that can’t beat the best teams. If the season opener was any indication, it might be time to rethink that stance.

Ultimately, this is one game. The Chiefs could end up going 7-9 and the loss of Berry could prove to derail what looks to be one of the NFL’s best defenses. Perhaps this was simply a great night by a good team, catching the best squad on a bad evening.

Or, maybe Kansas City is going to make a run. Maybe the selection of Patrick Mahoems has lit the proverbial fire under Smith, who looked like a different player behind sublime protection. There were questions about Hill becoming a No. 1 receiver, questions that were answered with seven receptions for 133 yards and a score.

There are 15 games left to play for both the Chiefs and Patriots. Much will happen, and much will change. Still, for one night, Kansas City marked itself as a contender, and suddenly, the AFC doesn’t appear to be in the iron grip of the group in Foxborough.