FOXBORO — The Patriots lost three offensive starters during their Week 15 loss to the Chiefs, and Bill Belichick acknowledged that it impacted how his team handled an offensive series late in the game.

Left guard Cole Strange was carted off of the field with a knee injury early in the second quarter and was replaced by rookie Atonio Mafi. Left tackle Conor McDermott, who was starting in place of Trent Brown, suffered a head injury in the fourth quarter and was replaced by Vederian Lowe. And tight end Hunter Henry didn’t finish the game with a knee injury, leading to more playing time for Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown. Henry told the Herald after the game that he was feeling fine. He was walking in the locker room without any major limitations.

Related Articles

Patriots have no answers for latest bizarre situation involving J.C. Jackson

Bailey Zappe’s interception proves costly in Patriots’ 27-17 loss to Chiefs

Patriots starting LG Cole Strange ruled out after being carted off with knee injury

Patriots still shorthanded at wide receiver in Demario Douglas’ return

Patriots mailbag: Another free-agent spending splurge should be coming in 2024

“Yeah, it was tough to lose (Strange),” Belichick said after the game. “It’s tough to lose Conor (McDermott). Tough to lose Hunter (Henry). Kind of at the end there we were not — I would say we didn’t feel like we were able to do probably what we should have done in that situation. At the end of the game I’m talking about.”

The Patriots got the ball with four minutes left in the fourth quarter from their own 1-yard line and used a minute and 25 seconds to go 6 yards on four plays. Running back Ezekiel Elliott said after the game that the offense could have “gone a little faster” near the end of the game.

“We ended up in a check play there,” Belichick said, referring to an audible at the line of scrimmage. “I mean, we could have gone quicker.”

The Patriots never used their final timeout at the end of the game. After Bailey Zappe’s QB sneak on first down, 35 seconds drained off of the clock before Elliott ran for 4 yards. Another 41 seconds came off of the clock before Zappe threw incomplete to Elliott. The Patriots turned the ball over on downs after Zappe threw incomplete to wide receiver Jalen Reagor.

The Chiefs got the ball from the Patriots’ 6-yard line, picked up 2 yards on a run, and then kneeled on the ball for a turnover on downs. The Patriots ran one play before time expired.

“It was the right thing to do,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after the game about the Chiefs’ decision not to score.

Cornerback Jonathan Jones, special teamer Matthew Slater and linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley and Anfernee Jennings also got banged up during the game. Zappe was walking gingerly after the loss but told the Herald that he was just dealing with bumps and bruises after getting stepped on by Chiefs defenders.