"Boo, rookie!"
"Boo!"
The Gillette Stadium crowd roared with venomous insults and hissing, their voices dripping with contempt as they targeted Lance, who stood stoically on the sidelines.
Visiting teams were always treated harshly, but tonight, the fury aid at Lance was especially vicious, amplified by his recent touchdown that had silenced the Patriots faithful.
Lance, however, remained composed. Their hostility only underscored his brilliance.
But not everyone took the insults lightly.
Justin Houston couldn't stand it anymore.
Drafted in the third round as the 70th pick in 2011, Houston had grown into the heart of the Kansas City Chiefs' defense—a leader who had earned four consecutive Pro Bowl selections since 2012.
Though a torn ACL had sidelined him for most of the previous season, Houston had been determined to return stronger than ever. And what better way to make a statent than against the reigning champions?
Yes, Lance was a rookie. That was undeniable. Even within the Chiefs locker room, he was affectionately teased and called "rookie" by veterans and fellow newcors alike, including Mahos.
But letting the Patriots disrespect Lance? Houston wasn't having it.
"Hey, guys," Houston called, gathering his defensive teammates.
"Listen up. This ga is tough—damn tough. But we're still in it."
"That rookie just taught us vets a lesson out there. Three runs, seventy-five yards. The Pats couldn't stop him. Their defense fell apart. And now, thanks to him, we're ahead."
"Now it's our turn."
Houston's words were succinct but carried weight, his tone commanding respect.
"Pats" was the affectionate nickna Patriots fans used for their team, derived from the abbreviation of "Patriots." But tonight, Houston wielded the nickna like a jab, challenging his teammates to remind the Patriots exactly who they were up against.
Cornerback Marcus Peters nodded fervently.
"You heard him! Listen to this stadium. They're pissed and taking it out on a rookie who can't even talk back. It's our job to shut them up and show them that Lance isn't so nobody they can ss with. Hell, I haven't even gotten the chance to ss with him yet!"
Like Houston, Peters was a true Chief, drafted in 2015 and deeply loyal to the team. His quip drew laughter from the group, lightening the tension but sharpening their focus.
Eric Berry, the team's safety and undisputed defensive captain, nodded thoughtfully.
"Let's show them what we can do. Otherwise, we'll never hear the end of it from the rookie when we're back at practice."
The Chiefs were historically a passing team. Even during Jamaal Charles' pri as one of the NFL's elite running backs, Kansas City's ground ga had always taken a backseat.
But tonight, Lance had flipped the script.
Three consecutive runs. Three first downs. Seventy-five yards. And a touchdown.
It was a statent drive that ignited a fire within the Chiefs defense.
On the Patriots' sideline, Bill Belichick recognized the shift imdiately.
New England's aggressive defensive strategy had aid to stifle the Chiefs' montum. Instead, it had backfired. Kansas City's energy had surged, and now their defense radiated newfound confidence. Belichick knew what was coming next.
To counter this surge, he adjusted New England's offensive plan.
The Patriots opened their drive with two runs, hoping to grind out so yards and slow the Chiefs' montum. It was a calculated move—using the ground ga to ease the burden on Brady, deflate the Chiefs' defense, and regain control of the ga's tempo.
It was a sound strategy.
But even the best plans rely on execution.
Kansas City's defense had no intention of yielding.
On first down, the Patriots' running backs were t with a wall of red jerseys, stopped at the line of scrimmage.
On second down, the Chiefs dialed up an unconventional blitz. Instead of sending linebackers, they unleashed Peters—a cornerback.
Peters blitzed like a man possessed, slicing through the Patriots' offensive line and charging into the backfield. Before Brady could react, Peters was upon him, bringing him down with a textbook sack.
The stadium gasped.
"Second down, and the Chiefs bring the house!" Michaels exclaid.
"Marcus Peters with the cornerback blitz! He ca out of nowhere!"
The sack left the Patriots facing a daunting 3rd-and-14 situation.
For all his greatness, even Tom Brady couldn't completely mask New England's growing struggles. Kansas City's defense slled blood in the water.
On third down, Brady gambled on a deep pass to Danny Andola. The Chiefs, however, had anticipated the move.
Eric Berry stayed glued to Andola, reading his route perfectly and positioning himself to intercept the ball. The crowd held its breath as the pass spiraled through the air.
For a mont, it seed Berry might make the play of the ga.
But Andola, sensing the danger, grabbed Berry's arm and disrupted his jump. It was an obvious foul—one that saved the Patriots from a turnover but forced them to punt.
The pass fell incomplete.
Gillette Stadium groaned as the officials threw a flag. Offensive pass interference was declined, and the Chiefs' defense trotted off the field, victorious.
"Three and out!" Michaels bellowed.
"The Chiefs' defense holds strong! What a stand!"
Montum had officially shifted.
The Patriots' punt unit jogged onto the field, their fans stunned into silence.
Kansas City's sideline, anwhile, buzzed with electricity.
On this night, with the lights burning bright and the stakes higher than ever, the Chiefs had seized control.
And as Lance prepared to return to the field, one thing was clear:
The Patriots were in trouble.
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