Instant Insights: Browns come up just short, lose to Chiefs, 22-17

If you would have told us that the Cleveland Browns would have a chance in the fourth quarter to advance to the AFC Championship Game, the majority of Browns fans would have been satisfied with that. While the 22-17 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City hurts due to the way it happened, it’s tough to be down about the Browns. What a season it was.

Prior to, during, and after the game, some of the WFNY crew discussed their thoughts:

joegilbert – IT IS TIME! The Browns are about to face off against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the playoffs! How are we feeling?!

gerbs – As good as I’ve felt all week. No changes in the starting lineup, we are at our healthiest we’ve been all year at just the right time

joegilbert – I am just so excited for this game. I have no nerves. This is house money and the Browns have a chance to win this game. What’s not to like?

joegilbert – Yep, the Browns have a healthy lineup versus the defending champs to show us what they got. Love it.

scott – What I appreciate about this game is it will provide the Browns a true gauge of where they are as an organization. Clearly on the ascent, but where are they compared to the reigning champs? No injuries or variables to allocate any sort of fuzzy math and what if’s. I do not know what the outcome will be, but the information obtained will be invaluable.

gerbs – I don’t agree with the “limit the touches” narrative that the talking heads have been pushing. That’s not this team anymore

gerbs – Limit the work that Kelce can do after the catch and you’re on your way

joegilbert – Hill is just so hard to cover. This is going to be the biggest challenge

gerbs – Ronnie Harrison has been a huge find

joegilbert – Have to secure the tackle against this team

gerbs – If you have a chance to tackle them short of the sticks, you have to do it

gerbs – Hard to guard the option there.

joegilbert – Well, we knew they were going to score. Time to answer

gerbs – Wills is down and getting helped off the field. Not a great start

joegilbert – Jedrick going down is not good at all

joegilbert – Nice play call to take the pressure off of Lamm in the first play

gerbs – Two drops on the first drive not great (the first one was on Jarvis Landry and the second to Austin Hooped)

joegilbert – Hooper makes up for the drop with a nice first down pickup

gerbs – Powered it across the market too

joegilbert – Another Baker Sweep

gerbs – MAZERATI! Baker for the first!

gerbs – That jet sweep did not work out like it did last week

gerbs – Huge sack to take there. Might have pushed them out of field goal territory

joegilbert – CODY MADE IT

gerbs – Points! Happy to get a field goal there after the way that drive finished

joegilbert – Solid first drive, but it is a killer that Jed is now walking to the locker room

joegilbert – Let’s see if the Browns can show any resistance on this drive

gerbs – Their jet sweep was better than ours…by a lot

joegilbert – Myles catching Hardman is insane

gerbs – The zone coverage is getting abused by the screen pass so far

joegilbert – Good news: That was a quick first quarter

gerbs – You’re only down three!

gerbs – Can’t leave Kelce that open

joegilbert – Just so easy

gerbs – No way

joegilbert – Kelce running such a crisp route to cause Ward to fall down is simply unfair

gerbs – If Mahomes misses time, this is a whole new ballgame

joegilbert – What a freakin’ dime

gerbs – Rainbow throw to Donovan Peoples-Jones

joegilbert – Chubb with back to back drops

gerbs – Two drops by Chubb on screen passes is less than ideal.

gerbs – Another week, another batted pass.

gerbs – This may get ugly quick

joegilbert – Those two drops are simply things the Browns can’t do to themselves. Not against this team

gerbs – Travis Kelce can get and catch the ball at any point in time he wants

gerbs – Can’t go through this game hoping for a turnover

joegilbert – Browns have no chance if they can’t tackle

gerbs – Two penalties on KC are the only things helping Cleveland’s defense

joegilbert – That is the truly demoralizing part. When he scrambles for a first

gerbs – And then limps back

joegilbert – This is a huge win for the defense

gerbs – Adrian Clayborn hit him off the top rope right there

joegilbert – Score at the end of the half and then score on the opening drive of the second and we have a ball game.

gerbs – This game is still not out of range, the offense just needs to get back on track

gerbs – You have to play a mistake free game to beat the Chiefs and that has hardly been today

joegilbert – Baker is slinging it. Just getting very little help

gerbs – This is the offense we have wanted

joegilbert – Beautiful throw and great route by Higgins

gerbs – What an awful turn of events

joshpoloha – Unbelievable. Devastating, back-breaking turnover.

joegilbert – The worst rule in football

gerbs – Game of inches

mitchell – Worst rule in sports

gerbs – Halftime thoughts: the Chiefs are able to do whatever they want on offense and Cleveland had all the signs of life before Higgins fumbled it into the end zone

gerbs – The game is not out of reach, it’s only two touchdowns, but you have to keep them off the board and you’ve only done that once

joegilbert – The Browns are still in it. I truly believe it. Score a touchdown on the opening drive and we have a ball game. But, the defense has to be more aggressive. Change it up. This ain’t working.

joegilbert – And, Baker is absolutely ballin’ right now. With a QB playing like this, the team has a chance

mgbode – Hope I am wrong but I don’t see how the Browns win this game trading a touchdown for a Chiefs field goal to end the half. They are so good, that just was devastating.

gerbs – Well that’s game

joegilbert – Baker knows better. Don’t throw across your body. Bad

gerbs – Jarvis stopped and stayed in his spot too long.

joshpoloha – Lamm got hurt on that interception, too. Great.

joshpoloha – Anddd now Myles Garrett. It’s fine. Everything is fine.

joegilbert – Welp

gerbs – A miracle they held them to a field goal there

gerbs – And Myles is already back in

gerbs – HE DOINKED IT!

joshpoloha – The fact that this is still a two-possession game is incredible.

joegilbert – Well the door is still a tad ajar

gerbs – The interception doesn’t hurt anything

joegilbert – Hance is now in for Lamm. Oh boy

gerbs – Chubb is a man

joegilbert – Chubb is pissed

gerbs – Higgins!

joegilbert – The offense is getting rolling

gerbs – This offense is really mad

gerbs – Bad spot on that 2nd down, but that was a good play call

joegilbert – That is a response. Browns are not dead yet

gerbs – JARVIS!!

joshpoloha – Love Stefanski, obviously, and not going to question him, but would love to hear the reasoning behind not going for two there to potentially make it a one-possession game.

joegilbert – Stefanski makes another mistake not challenging a clear drop

gerbs – Mahomes is not well

gerbs – Of course it didn’t matter that the defense can’t get off the field

joegilbert – Browns had no chance to stop them there even without Mahomes

joegilbert – Browns get another big stop forcing the Chiefs to a FG

joshpoloha – Tyreek Hill definitely just pushed his coach on the sidelines right before that commercial break.

joegilbert – Browns are faced with a 4th and 1. There is no decision here. You have to go for it

gerbs – They have had an answer for the outside run all game

joegilbert – Browns are in it going into the fourth quarter. That is all the Browns would ask for coming into the game.

joegilbert – Njoku has been great today

gerbs – Hunt has been good. too

gerbs – Landry almost gave away the whole game

joegilbert – Perfect pass, but Jarvis was not ready for it. Almost turns into a pick-six

gerbs – HOOPER!!

joegilbert – Hooper makes an unbelievable catch on an unbelievable throw

joegilbert – Mahomes is now ruled out. The game is there for the Browns

gerbs – Was not happy with that fade on 2nd down

joegilbert – TD BROWNS

gerbs – KAREEEEEMMMMMMM

gerbs – KAREEEMMMMMMMMM

joshpoloha – I said during the preview pod with Joe yesterday that I just wanted the Browns to have a chance with a one-possession game in the fourth quarter. Now, we have it. Come on, Browns.

joegilbert – Make Chad Henne beat you

gerbs – That first down was Ty Hill making a good play on the ball not Henne making a good throw

gerbs – Also, that’s a catch unfortunately

joegilbert – Bad challenge

gerbs – Kelce is just good

joegilbert – The defense is still awful

joegilbert – LFG!!!!

gerbs – PICK!!

joegilbert – Henne with an arm punt on first

joshpoloha – It’s your time, Baker!

andrew – I’m glad he did, but man… Why would you throw that?!?!

gerbs – Karl Joseph almost called for a fair catch

joegilbert – Big time play by Higgins to get close to the first so Baker could easily get it on 4th

gerbs – This needs to be the last drive of the game

joegilbert – That was a bad drive. Now the Browns have to rely on the defense

gerbs – Gillan did not have a good punt

coreybarnes – Burning that timeout on second down really hurts.

joegilbert – The Browns should have gone for it. One timeout and just 4 min to play with this defense. Not great

andrew – Completely agree. I hate that punt so much

joshpoloha – Fine with punting there, but those three play calls following the timeout were underwhelming.

joegilbert – This has to be a 3 and out

gerbs – *Narrator voice*: it was not

gerbs – Huge sack!

joshpoloha – I cannot believe that Andy Reid is putting the game in Chad Henne’s hands there.

joegilbert – The Browns defense is facing their biggest down of the season

joegilbert – Unbelievable. But, I think he is short

gerbs – He got it

gerbs – They can challenge it

gerbs – Oh man he doesn’t have it!!

joegilbert – Unbelievable. Beaten by Chad freakin’ Henne.

gerbs – How the hell does the defense give that up

gerbs – It hurts so much that that’s how it happens

joshpoloha – Would love to see the All-22 on that 13.5-yard scramble by Chad freaking Henne to even give KC a chance on fourth down.

joegilbert – This hurts. But, what a great season. This team fought

scott – Kevin Stefanski picked a rough day to have a game like today. Proud in the fight. Disappointed in the result.

andrew – The defense got off to a slow start and they finished poorly giving up that run to Henne. But I will say this: I think they also deserve a little credit for holding KC to FGs after that fast start for the Chiefs. The defense clearly lacks talent, but I do think they played hard. They were just outmanned.

andrew – I’m not harboring any negative thoughts over this game. It hurts and I’m sad the season is over. I was frustrated a lot watching this game. But I’m just so proud of the progress of this team and this organization as a whole. I feel like the Browns showed they belong and are close to being able to contend for deeper playoff runs.