Bittersweet: Takeaways from the Browns’ 33-29 loss in Kansas City

Well, that was fun. At least until it wasn’t, that is.

I know that losing, especially a game that the Cleveland Browns led by 12 in the fourth quarter, isn’t fun, but there were a lot of things that happened between 4:25 and 7:30 on Sunday afternoon and I would consider very, very few of them to reflect negatively on the Browns. They went into one of the most hostile environments in the NFL and more or less dominated one of the league’s best teams for roughly 50 minutes.

Sure, there were a couple of “same ol’ Browns”-like events that happened in the stretch run, but this team couldn’t be further from that moniker. If this team is able to stay healthy, there will be a lot of wins in the future. But you all came here for my takeaways from the game, so let’s get into those.

• Baker Mayfield and the rest of the Browns’ offense picked up right where they left at the end of last season. For much of the game, if a freak Nick Chubb fumble or the second-quarter clock didn’t impede them, the Chiefs sure weren’t going to. Until the end of their sixth drive, succeeding on offense seemed effortless, totaling 420 yards and 29 points. Chubb was carving up the defense (15 carries, 83 yards, two touchdowns) with Hunt doing his part (33 rushing yards, 28 reception yards, one touchdown) to spell him. Baker looked crisp (21-for-28 for 321 yards) and a bunch of receivers were getting in on the action and the line gave No. 6 all the time he needed. If you watched that game and didn’t come away impressed with how the Browns’ offense performed, I’m not sure what to say. They’re going to put up a lot of points all season.
• I was certainly surprised to see the role that Anthony Schwartz played in the offense on Sunday. He seemed to fill the utility role that Odell Beckham Jr. will fill as soon as he’s on the field again. But even when OBJ returns, whenever that may be, I wouldn’t anticipate Schwartz to lose his spot in the rotation. His speed is too game-breaking to keep on the bench. I mean, his five targets were tied for the team lead.
• Staying with the pass catchers, I couldn’t be happier to see the re-emergence of David Njoku. In the middle of last season, he went on an eight-game lull where he was targeted just 12 times, catching six of those for 57 yards. In the last six games, including the playoffs, he was targeted 20 times, logging 15 receptions for 172 yards. On Sunday, he caught three passes on five targets and led the team in receiving with 76 yards. The Browns may have brought in two tight ends last season to ultimately replace him, but he’s making a good argument that he’s still the best tight end on the roster.
• For the first regular-season game that this defense has played as a unit (and they weren’t even at full strength), there isn’t a whole lot to complain about. Yes, the Cheifs were able to sustain long drives, but that was seemingly due to Cleveland’s game plan. Much like January, they wanted to prevent the Mahomes-Hill combo from beating them over the top, so they were more than happy to let them dink and dunk their way down the field. And before I get “well what about that touchdown” in the comments, there’s probably only one person in all of recorded human history that can make that throw and he wears No. 15 for the Chiefs. Don’t take that play, at this point, as something that is indicative of a larger problem. I would look for this defense to continue to gel as a unit as the weeks go on. Losing Ronnie Harrison five plays in certainly didn’t help. Next week should be a bit of a respite for the Browns’ defense as they go from having to slow down Patrick Mahomes to…*checks notes*…Tyrod Taylor.
• Speaking of the defense, some of the new signees certainly made their presence felt on Sunday afternoon. Anthony Walker led the team in tackles with nine and could often be seen coaching other players immediately after a play ended on where they should have been or what they should be looking for. That’s a player that the Browns’ defense hasn’t had in a long time. John Johnson III was all over the field making plays, back in the locker room hooked up to an IV, and then back on the field making plays once again. Malik McDowell made a difference at times and the presence of guys like Jadeveon Clowney and Troy Hill were noticeable as well. This defense has the pieces. I want to see them come together as they play teams that aren’t the Chiefs. There’s not another team in the league that can do what they do.
• So let’s talk about the elephant in the room for a minute. Yes, that was a bit of a collapse in the final 10 minutes. Taking out the bomb to Hill, which I addressed already, it felt like the Browns froze up a bit. Directly following that touchdown, Cleveland came out on offense and Stefanski called, what I believe to be, his worst series of the game. The last time the Browns had the ball, they had mixed the run and pass incredibly well to keep Kansas City off balance. The first play following the Hill touchdown was a five-step drop for Mayfield, a missed block by Jack Conklin, and an easy sack for Chris Jones. That play set the Browns back far enough that they would eventually have to punt…..if Jamie Gillan had caught the ball. When Gillan dropped that ball, there was no momentum left for the Browns and, even though they led, it felt like the collapse was coming and three plays later, they were trailing. As for the interception that would come later, I can’t pin that on Baker. A dude just happened to grab his shoelace at the wrong moment. So yes, the collapse hurts, but I don’t think it outweighs everything that happened before it.
• But, let’s pull back a bit…the Browns *should* have beaten the two-time reigning AFC Champions at their place on opening day, a week in which it should be noted that Andy Reid hasn’t lost since 2014 and that Cleveland has only won once since 1999. This team is still learning how to win these kinds of games. I believe they’ll break through this season at some point, but it just wasn’t in Kansas City on Sunday. This game will sit with them and ultimately be used for motivation, if and when, these two teams meet again in January. But it’s onto the Texans. For a bit of reassurance, I’ll leave you with the words of Jedrick Wills, Jr.

https://twitter.com/JWills73/status/1437200042654421005?s=20