Chiefs rally to top Browns
Mahomes leads 4th-quarter comeback in playoff rematch
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Every time the Kansas City Chiefs needed a big play on Sunday, their magician under center produced the kind of mesmerizing moment that left the Cleveland Browns shaking their heads in awe and frustration.
There was Patrick Mahomes’ 75-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill, in which he lofted the ball deep downfield and his wide receiver made an incredible adjustment. The crucial throws that kept drives alive.
And ultimately, the touchdown pass to Travis Kelce that completed a comeback from a 12-point hole and gave Kansas City a 33-29 victory Sunday.
“That’s Patrick Mahomes being Patrick Mahomes,” Hill said. “There it is.”
On the field, Mahomes finished with 337 yards passing and three touchdowns while running for a score. On the sideline, he helped to instill the confidence in a struggling Kansas City defense that it could make plays when it mattered down the stretch.
“You love his attitude because he always feels like we’re in it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “He does such a great job with the guys around him. He’s a great communicator during tough times on the sideline.”
There were plenty of those on Sunday.
Yet the Chiefs still managed to win their fifth straight against Cleveland, including a 22-17 playoff victory in January, and their 15th consecutive game in September. They also pushed Reid within one win of reaching 100 with two franchises.
Mahomes had plenty of help: Hill finished with 11 catches for 197 yards and that momentum-shifting touchdown, and Kelce had two touchdown catches, including the go-ahead score with 7:02 remaining.
GAME OF THE DAY
As for the Browns? They fell to 1-21-1 in season openers since returning to Cleveland in 1999, extending their NFL mark to 17 consecutive defeats. They haven’t won an opener on the road since the 1994 season.
“It’s tough, right? But at the same time, we constantly get reminded this is a team game in all phases,” said Baker Mayfield, who threw for 321 yards but was picked off by Mike Hughes with 1:09 left to end any hopes of a comeback.
The game was a rematch of a physical, defensive-minded playoff game that Kansas City clinched when backup quarterback Chad Henne threw a fourth-down pass to Hill for a first down with just over a minute to go.
There wasn’t a whole lot of defense this time.
“It was our game the first half, and we left off the gas. We didn’t execute down the stretch they were more composed and they made the plays,” Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett said. “We just had too many missed assignments on our part. They take advantage of stuff like that. They’ve shown that. We just needed to be better.”