Exclusive : Patriots Trap Travis Kelce, but can’t stop The Kansas City Chiefs Super Star Player “Patrick Mahomes”…

For the Patriots, it was mission accomplished with Travis Kelce.

The Chiefs star tight end and favorite target of Patrick Mahomes was neutralized, and then some by Bill Belichick’s defense.

Five catches for 28 yards isn’t a typical day at the office for Taylor Swift’s beau. But it sure falls in line with how Belichick attacks an opposing offense – he takes away their best player.

“Every single time I go up against (Belichick), it’s the toughest job in the NFL, to go up against a Bill Belichick defense,” Kelce said following the 27-17 win over the Patriots Sunday. He throws so much at you . . . so hats off to Belichick for making my life tough, that’s for damn sure.”

Mahomes (27 for 37, 305 yards, two TDs, two picks) was still able to make good use of the rest of the Chiefs cast. While they might not be as potent as they once were with Tyreek Hill also in the stable, Mahomes was still able to dial up seven plays of 17 or more yards with everyone not named Kelce.

Included in the mix was a 32-yard pass play to tight end Noah Gray on the very first play from scrimmage; a 48-yard screen to Clyde Edwards-Helaire; a 31-yard completion to Justin Watson; and a 24-yard pass to Rashee Rice.

That was by and large one of the problems for the defense. While they did a good job of mixing it up on covering Kelce, they didn’t communicate particularly well on several screens, most notably the 48-yarder to Edwards-Helaire.

“Communication and execution,” said linebacker Jahlani Tavai. “That’s on all of us.”

Rice wound up doing the most damaged with nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots were shorthanded in the secondary, especially when J.C. Jackson didn’t play due to a ‘personal matter’ forcing little used Alex Austin into the starting lineup.

“I know we did a good job stopping (Kelce), but there were other receivers we didn’t stop,” said Tavai. “We didn’t meet our standards on defense. We just got to get back to it starting tomorrow.”