It was yet another dramatic affair for the Kansas City Chiefs in their season-opening win over the upstart Cleveland Browns. Behind three second half Cleveland turnovers and the magical arm of Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City won its seventh straight season opener and Mahomes improved to 11-0 all time in the month of September.
Chiefs/Browns: 5 things we learned
- This defense needs Tyrann Mathieu and Frank Clark. We saw the Browns rush for over 150 yards while dictating the pace of the game for the first two-and-a-half quarters. The Chiefs defensive line was on its heels for most of the contest and while Sorenson and Thornhill each made big plays down the stretch, the veteran leadership of Mathieu was sorely missed. It’s very likely you will see these two back when the Chiefs travel to Baltimore next week and it won’t be a moment too soon. ‘
- The Arrowhead aura is real. A sold out, deafening stadium welcomed the Browns to Kansas City and the crowd played a large role as momentum shifted in the second half. Midway through the 4th quarter, Browns punter Jamie Gillan was clearly rattled as he bobbled a snap on 4th and 13 deep in their own territory. The gaffe led to the Chiefs first lead of the day and it would be a lead they would not relinquish.
- Outside of Kelce and Hill, the Chiefs have a pass-catching problem. The dynamic duo accounted for 17 catches, 273 yards and three touchdowns. That is unreal. What else is unreal that Hardman, Robinson and Pringle combined for 5 catches and 33 yards. There is absolutely no one you can count on in the passing game outside of Hill and Kelce and that could be a problem as the season progresses should an injury occur to either player.
- The new-look offensive line is…ok, I guess. The Chiefs ignored its entire roster in the offseason with the exception of the offensive line. Brett Veach rebuilt the unit as to never witness the atrocity that occurred in Super Bowl LV ever again. The initial results are a mixed bag as Brown/Niang seemed to struggle with Cleveland’s defensive ends of Clowney and Garrett frequently. Brown, at times, looks to have heavy feet which limits his technique specifically in pass-protection. The running game also saw no visible improvement as Clyde Edwards-Helaire was pedestrian at best behind this line, rushing for just 43 yards on 14 carries.
- Yesterday’s win and week 1 results are very important. With a head-to-head win over the Browns, the Chiefs will own that tie-breaker come playoff time. With both teams favored to win their respective division, the playoff seeding could be heavily impacted by this game. The Titans and Bills, two other teams that are predicted by many to threaten the Chiefs in the AFC, both looked unimpressive in losses yesterday.
Up Next
The Chiefs travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens on Sunday Night Football (7:20 PM, NBC)
