N.F.L. Week 1: The Saints Toppled Aaron Rodgers and the Packers
The Browns made few mistakes through the first three quarters of Sunday’s divisional round rematch against the Chiefs. None of it mattered.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield, trying to avoid a sack on a potential game-winning drive, heaved up a dangerous pass with a little over a minute left in the game, and Chiefs defensive back Mike Hughes snatched it out of the air, taking with it Cleveland’s hope for a season-opening road victory against an A.F.C. opponent it is desperate to beat.
The Chiefs overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to drop the Browns, 33-29, at Arrowhead Stadium.
With no Odell Beckham Jr. (he missed the game nursing an A.C.L. injury suffered last October) and a need to prove they could continue their offensive production from a season ago, the Browns almost looked as if they’d pull it off.
The offensive line had given Mayfield the time he needed to hit his receivers. Their running back duo Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb both found their way into the end zone before the halfway point of the fourth quarter. And the Cleveland defense had held Chiefs to a single touchdown in the first half.
Things went bad for Cleveland with about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Possibly because of a roaring crowd at Arrowhead who unleashed the Tomahawk chop chant despite calls from Indigenous groups for the team to ban it, Browns punter Jamie Gillan dropped a snap, gifting quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense possession at Cleveland’s 15-yard line.
Mahomes, who only needed a single play to give the Chiefs a 75-yard score on their previous possession, hit tight end Travis Kelce three plays later. Kelce pounded through two defenders for his second touchdown of the day. He finished the game with six catches for 76 yards. Mahomes threw for 337 yards with four touchdowns (one rushing, three passing).
Receiver Tyreek Hill, who caught the 75-yard ball from Mahomes, had 197 yards on 11 catches.
A game Cleveland had in hand in the first half turned into a dogfight.
Early on, the Browns took advantage of a Chiefs defense that was missing safety Tyrann Mathieu, who came off the team’s reserve/Covid-19 list Saturday but was ruled out before the game.
With three minutes left in the first half, Browns running back Nick Chubb took a handoff from quarterback Baker Mayfield and scampered into the end zone for an 18-yard score.
Not a single member of the Chiefs defense got a hand on Chubb, and the play was indicative of a near-perfect first half of offense for the Browns.
Chubb finished with 83 yards on 15 carries and a pair of touchdowns, scoring the Browns’ first touchdown, a 4-yard carry on Cleveland’s opening drive.
The Browns possessed the ball four times in the first half and scored touchdowns on three drives. For their second score, receiver Jarvis Landry took an end-around into the end zone, muscling his way to the goal line for a 4-yard score on fourth down.
If not for the late-game interception, Mayfield’s 2021 debut would have been largely blemish free. He was 21-of-28 passing with 321 yards. He was sacked twice.
The game started with a bit of controversy, though. Browns safety Ronnie Harrison was ejected in the first quarter after an altercation with a member of the Chiefs sideline.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/09/12/sports/nfl-scores/