No matter how you want to spin this, last night was a very bad night for the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
At some point in time, the mystique and the residual bling of being the dynasty is going to rub off.
Tom Brady looked mortal at times. The Patriots defense was -- particularly in the second half when they were outscored 28-10 -- quite poor.
But we haven't mentioned the winners yet. And the Chiefs do merit plenty of mention.
Teams don't just stroll into Foxboro amid all the fanfare and splendor that accompanied last night's unveiling of the championship banner and the presentation of the trophy and walk out with a win.
But the Chiefs did that last night, with a revitalized performance from quarterback Alex Smith, who overcame a couple of early mistakes with the football before throwing for more than 360 yards and four touchdowns on their way to a 42-27 win.
The Patriots oftentimes were their own worst enemies. Twice they were stopped on fourth-and-1 situations, one which stalled a drive very early in the game that could have dramatically shifted things.
But that's all it takes sometimes. One change in momentum, one series of events that lead to the eventual result.
And let's not wait to shred into the Patriots defense. They were abysmal last night, particularly in the second half when they surrendered more than 300 yards on four Chiefs scoring drives.
Will they turn it around? Of course they will. They're the Patriots. The architect Bill Belichick will conjure up some magic before their next game in 9 days against the New Orleans Saints.
But this might be a sign of things to come for the Patriots. Teams might not fear them anymore, particularly with liabilities at some key positions, which now may include Danny Amendola, who had to leave the game early in the fourth quarter with a head injury.
One negative thing I will say about the Chiefs. They still have a major problem as it relates to committing stupid penalties. Travis Kelce in particular needs to finally accept his role as one of the top tight ends in the league and stop the shenanigans that make him look more like a schoolyard punk. This isn't the first time he's put his team in a tough situation, and if we've learned anything about this team, they can ill afford mistakes like that over time.
NFL Week 1 Best Bet
DETROIT (+1 1/2) over Arizona
So let's find out if Matt Stafford is really worth that huge contract he agreed to with the Lions this offseason.
The Lions have lost their last seven games to the Cardinals, a streak that dates back more than a decade.
Detroit starts the season without their top wide receiver, and facing a defense that ranked second-best in the NFL in yards allowed and led the league in total sacks.
What the Cardinals have in defense though, they may lack in offense.
Arizona's main offensive weapon is going to be running back David Johnson. If the Lions can minimize his role coming out of the backfield, thus putting more pressure on the seemingly ageless but also fragile Carson Palmer, look for Detroit to keep this game close behind running back Ameer Abdullah and a healthy dose of tight end Eric Ebron.
Time for another edition of "Caption This"
Let us know your caption for the photo in the comments below!
Don't miss today's episode of FIRST SPORTS, coming up at 9am ET on I Heart Radio at foxsports1340.com, or locally on the radio dial at AM1340/93.9FM.
In addition to a recap of last night's beatdown by the Kansas City Chiefs, we also NASCAR talk with Sam Atwell of the Race Report, college and NFL best bets with Lee Sterling of Paramount Sports, and a preview of the Dallas Cowboys season opener against the New York Giants with Cowboys sideline reporter Kristi Scales.
But one more thing before we move on....
On a final note, a letter co-written by NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league's Players Association executive director Michelle Roberts appears to be encouraging its players to be even more vocal and outspoken when it comes to issues of social or political strife.
In a portion of the letter, which was published on ESPN.com, Silver and Roberts said the league would make itself available for players if they wanted to figure out ways to positively create change:
"....None of us operates in a vacuum. Critical issues that affect our society also impact you directly. Fortunately, you are not only the world's greatest basketball players -- you have real power to make a difference in the world, and we want you know that the Players Association and the League are always available to help you figure out the most meaningful way to make that difference."
So just in case you wanted more of your professional athletes to look more and act more like the cartoon figures you watch on your kids' XBox or whatever the hell it's called, you may want to temper that idea.
Or you can do one of two things....
Understand, accept and try and be rational that all people have opinions. They don't necessarily have to mirror yours in order to be heard or accepted with grace and logic.
Or you could just stomp your foot in the floor again and tell everyone you're not gonna watch.
Because that solves everything, right?
Be a better protester!!!
You're welcome, America.