The Cleveland Browns were looking to wash away the misery of an AFC divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but it ended up being more of the same for the AFC North franchise. The Browns held the lead for nearly 53 minutes in Kansas City before the Chiefs registered what would be the game-winning score.
Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes exchanged blows, but Cleveland ran out of steam in the season-opener. Mahomes was able to lean on his stars -- tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The two combined for 273 receiving yards and three touchdowns whereas all four of the Browns' touchdowns were scored on the ground.
Why did it happen? Here are our takeaways:
Why the Chiefs won
Cleveland had eight months to come up with an answer to the Kelce and Hill riddle. They drafted cornerback Greg Newsome II and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with their first two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. They signed cornerback Troy Hill and safety John Johnson III in free agency. Those additions amounted to very little change. Kelce and Hill accounted for 273 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The rest of the roster registered a whopping 124 total yards.
A significant share of that yardage came when quarterback Patrick Mahomes escaped the pocket and extended the play with his feet. Cleveland got too deep in their rushes and Mahomes climbed the pocket. If they had stopped their rush short, the quarterback would have slipped out the back to extend the play. Those are the challenges of defending such a talented player.
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Why the Browns lost
Cleveland had three turnovers in the second half: one fumble lost, one interception and a turnover on downs. Kansas City had zero. Those mental lapses are what ultimately doomed the AFC North franchise. A fourth stroke of misfortune is laid out in the turning point section below.
Turning point
Poor timing torpedoed the Browns in the fourth quarter. A scrambling Mahomes found Hill for a 75-yard touchdown where safety John Johnson III was turned around. When he was able to locate the ball, it was already too late. Cleveland had an answer every time Kansas City scored throughout the game ... until they didn't.
After the Hill touchdown, the Browns went three and out, trotting punter Jamie Gillan onto the field. A perfectly normal snap was sent to Gillan but he dropped it, scrambled and was tackled in the red zone. Mahomes found Kelce for the second touchdown in 15 seconds. It was the first lead of the game for Kansas City and the last time that Cleveland would hold an advantage.
Play of the game
It has to be the Hill touchdown described above. Mahomes senses pressure from Takk McKinley and Jadeveon Clowney so he escapes the pocket to the right and throws an off-kilter pass in the direction of Hill. It was not the display of pinpoint accuracy so commonly associated with Mahomes, but it was a perfect example of the truly one-of-a-kind talent packed into that 6-foot-3, 230 pound frame. His trust in Hill made that game-changing play possible.
What's next
Cleveland returns home for a manageable stretch of games against the Texans and Bears. The Brown travel to Minnesota on Oct. 3. If they can avoid the mental disappointment that comes with losing a hard fought game, then they should bounce back in a big way.
Kansas City will head to Baltimore to take on the Ravens, who do not play their first game until Monday night. The following two games will be home against the Chargers and away against the Eagles, both of whom won in Week 1.