KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Baker Mayfield gave a valiant effort and nearly beat the Super Bowl runner-ups, but he’s still got another level to get to before he’s in the elite class of a Patrick Mahomes.
With 1:09 left to play and the Browns trailing 33-29, Mayfield, his leg in the grasp of a defender, fired the ball toward Harrison Bryant down the left sideline, and it was picked off to send the Browns home empty at 0-1.
The pick was one in a series of unfortunate events in the second half, including a Nick Chubb fumble and a failed punt on which Jamie Gillan dropped the ball.
* Mahomes, meanwhile, put on his Superman cape in the second half and crushed the Browns with three TD passes en route to rhe 33-29 victory. He began with an 11-yard TD pass to Travis Kelce on the opening drive of the third quarter, and then he topped it with his sensational 75-yard TD pass to Tyreek Hill that pulled the Chiefs to within 29-27 with 10:10 left in the game.
On the TD to Hill, Mahomes eluded Jordan Elliott, and then Hill beat John Johnson III to the pass and he was off to the races. Mahomes found Kelce again for an 8-yard TD with 7:04 left that put the Chiefs up 33-29 — after a 22-10 halftime deficit. It’s why Mahomes had gone 11-0 in September with 35 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
* The Browns dropped to 1-21-1 in openers since 1999 and haven’t won one since 2004
* Nick Chubb will be kicking himself for his third-quarter fumble after starting the second half with some angry runs. Safety Juan Thornill, subbing for Tyrann Mathieu (COVID-19 recovery) got a hat on the football and popped it loose. Chubb was determined to play an error-free game after he dropped two passes in the playoff loss to the Chiefs. But the Browns kept giving it to Chubb and he kept delivering, including more rumbling runs on a fourth quarter TD drive.
* It really is pick-your-poison with this Browns offense. Despite Odell Beckham Jr. being inactive, the Browns had an embarrassment of riches and so many place to go with the ball. It actually gives Beckham all the time he needs to heal from ACL surgery in November. The important thing is to have Beckham available for the stretch run and playoffs.
* I’ve said and written this throughout camp and I’ll say it again here: David Njoku is the most dangerous tight end on the Browns roster. Get him singled up on a smaller defensive back, and it’s lights out, as shown on his 43-yard catch down the right side on the final drive of the half. He followed that with a 30-yard catch that led to Kareem Hunt’s 2-yard TD run for a 29-20 lead in the fourth quarter. Njoku is one of the Browns’ biggest play threats and is poised for an excellent season.
* Cleveland native Travis Kelce shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 31. He hurt the Browns on a number of catches over the middle, and then pulled the Chiefs to within 22-17 on an 11-yard TD catch at the left side of the end zone; and then had an 8-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter.
* The overhauled Browns defense was as advertised with speed, power, explosiveness and an aggressive rush. They held the Chiefs’ No. 1 offense to 10 points in the first half, and the high-flying Mahomes to no first-half TDs. Heading in, Mahomes was 10-0 in September, with 32 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
* Jadeveon Clowney was sick all week, but rallied for the game and shot into the backfield to drop the runner for a 7-yard loss. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods rolled guys in to keep everyone fresh, and the Browns d-line dominated the first half.
* The Browns had planned all along to install a package of plays for speedster Anthony Schwartz, and with Odell Beckham Jr. inactive, it was even more imperative for the Browns to stretch the defense. Schwartz, who’s hands have gotten better each day in camp, didn’t disappoint. He caught a 44-yard strike on the first play of a second-quarter drive, and it led to Jarvis Landry’s 5-yard TD run on a 4th and 1 to make it 15-3. Schwartz later gained 17 yards on a reverse, and the moment certainly wasn’t too big for him.
* The downside of Landry’s determined touchdown run was that left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. suffered a left leg injury and didn’t return. He was replaced by Chris Hubbard, who suffered a serious knee injury last season that included a dislocated knee. It’s been a long, hard road back for Hubbard.
* Malik McDowell, the mauler who hadn’t played since 2016 at Michigan State, made his presence felt on the first play when he blasted through the line for a 2-yard tackle for a loss. What a way for McDowell to start the game, and his Browns career. I wrote he should start based on what I had seen in practice, and predicted he would.
* The Browns pride themselves on keeping their cool, and Ronnie Harrison Jr.’s ejection for shoving Chiefs assistant coach Greg Lewis in the first quarter goes against everything coach Kevin Stefanski preaches. The egregious error left the Browns painfully thin at safety with Grant Delpit inactive. Rookie Richard LeCounte II was the only extra safety, and cornerback MJ Stewart was pressed into service. Harrison will also be fined for the ordeal.
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