Kansas City Chiefs (and Taylor Swift) Outlast New England Patriots (with Jon Bon Jovi); Bill Belichick's Penultimate Foxboro Farewell?

The New England Patriots again were feisty, but couldn't overcome costly penalties and a second-half offensive disappearance in a 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Taylor Swift 27, Jon Bon Jovi 17.

On another dreary, depressing day at Gillette Stadium, even shutting down Swift's boyfriend and the presence of Bon Jovi couldn't help the New England Patriots in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Bill Belichick's defense limited Travis Kelce to only 28 receiving yards, but the Pats coughed up 20 unanswered points after a brief second-quarter lead.

The Pats, who haven't won back-to-back games all season, fell to 3-11. The last time they had this record was Drew Bledsoe's rookie season in 1993. 

"Good" news: The loss enables them to hang onto the No. 2 overall pick and inch closer to the top selection in next April's NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers won Sunday, improving their record to 2-12 and just one "ahead" of the Pats with three games remaining.

After an effective first half, the NFL's worst offense behind quarterback Bailey Zappe ultimately sputtered again. The Pats were held below 30 points for the 25th consecutive game.

After scoring a touchdown on a 10-play drive in the second quarter, the Patriots didn't gain a first down on their next seven possessions. They stayed in the game - like all season - because of a defense that twice intercepted Patrick Mahomes in Chiefs' territory. Linebacker Jahlani Tavai picked off a pass at K.C.'s 24, setting up an 18-yard touchdown run up the middle by Kevin Harris to cut the margin to 27-17 with eight minutes remaining.

Down only 10 points and with the ball and four minutes remaining, however, Patriots - admittedly, trapped near their goal-line - huddled up and ran consecutive, ultra-conservative plays up the middle.

The game, which was kicked off of Monday Night Football because of New England's disappointing season, featured pro football's third (Belichick) and fourth (Andy Reid) all-time winningest regular-season head coaches. Both are both for Canton; only is coaching for his job.

Despite a Saturday night report claiming team owner Robert Kraft still - contrary to earlier stories - hasn't made up his mind about Belichick's future into 2024, the coach led an aggressive game plan that called almost exclusively passing plays and eschewed field goals for fourth-down gambles.

It worked, for a while anyway.

Taylor Swift cheered on another New England Patriots loss Sunday at Gillette Stadium

After a sterling first half in which he threw only two incompletions, Zappe helped turn a close game into a rout when he tossed an ugly interception on his first throw of the third quarter. He inexplicably threw into triple-coverage, with ball picked off by Kansas City linebacker Willie Gay Jr. at New England's 21-yard line. Two plays later Mahomes hit Clyde Edwards-Helaire with a touchdown pass and what once was a 10-7 Pats' lead was suddenly a 14-point deficit.

Last week in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Zappe went cold in the second and the offense didn't manage a drive longer than 20 yards. But in falling to 3-2 in his career as a starter, he was no match for Mahomes.

If Belichick isn't to return next season, this was his penultimate game in Foxboro ahead of the Jan. 7 finale against the New York Jets that could be the last of his storied 24-year career.

The Patriots trailed 14-10 at halftime despite an almost flawless Zappe. New England flubbed several chances to score more points, including big penalties that wiped out a completion to Demario Douglass at Kansas City's 5-yard line and a touchdown catch by Hunter Henry, and Chad Ryland's 41-yard field goal that hooked left.

Surprisingly outperforming Mahomes-to-Kelce, Zappe-to-Henry connected six times for 57 yards and a touchdown that tied the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter. Zappe went an astounding 17 of 19 for 141 yards in the first half, often escaping blitz pressure to make positive plays,

New England managed a 10-7 lead after third-round draft pick Marte Mapu made the first play of consequence in his rookie season, outfighting Kelce for a pass and grabbing his first interception.

WATCH: Marte Mapu Finally Makes Play for Patriots, Intercepts Patrick Mahomes

The Patriots also shot themselves in the foot on the opening drive, with another costly penalty that wiped out Jalen Reagor's 46-yard kickoff return. With an uncharacteristic, free-wheeling style - born either from a team already eliminated from the playoffs and with nothing to lose, or a head coach fighting for his job - the Patriots attempted 18 passes on their first 23 snaps and went for 4th-and-1 at the Chiefs' 16 (resulting in Henry's score).

The Chiefs took the lead just before half on Mahomes' 8-yard scoring pass to Jerick McKinnon.

The Patriots lost starting left guard Cole Strange, who suffered a knee injury when he was bent backward and eventually left the field on a cart.

New England next travels to Denver to play the Broncos in Week 16 on Christmas Eve night.

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