Since Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes paired up, the Chiefs have a regular-season record of 87-25 and have won three Super Bowls in four appearances. They can be the first team to win three in a row this year. (Getty Images)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, 1 p.m., in Huntington Bank Field
Record: 12-1.
Last game: Defeated Los Angeles Chargers, 19-17, December 8, in Kansas City.
Coach: Andy Reid, 156-58, 12th year; 286-161-1 overall.
Series record: Chiefs lead, 15-11-2 (counting post-season).
Last meeting: Chiefs won, 33-29, September 12, 2021, in Kansas City.
League rankings: Offense is 16th overall (21st rushing, 13th passing), defense is sixth overall (third rushing, 20th passing) and turnover differential is minus-4.
Things to watch
1. No team has won three Super Bowls in a row, but the Chiefs appear destined to change that. Dubbed the NFL’s luckiest team because of late-game histrionics, the Chiefs have won 10 one-score games this season and 15 in a row dating to last year. They beat the Broncos on a blocked field goal at the end, beat the Raiders when an errant snap bounced off quarterback Aiden O’Connell and ended a chip-shot field goal opportunity, and beat the Chargers when their kicker caromed a ball off the left upright for the winning points.
2. When the Chiefs don’t receive a lucky break, Patrick Mahomes has been there to bail them out. Some of Mahomes’ personal statistics are among the worst in his seven seasons as starting QB. He is on pace for career lows in TD passes, yards per attempt, and passer rating, and career highs in interceptions and sacks. Most of the negative numbers are the result of protection problems on the offensive line and injuries at wide receiver. Yet give Mahomes one last possession to win a game and nobody would bet against him. He is at his best with a game on the line.
3. Tight end Travis Kelce, 35, is experiencing career-lows in a number of categories, such as yards per catch, touchdowns and first downs. But, like Mahomes, when the game is on the line Kelce is gold.
4. Left tackle has been a problem position all year. After two drafted rookies failed to pan out, the Chiefs turned to veteran free agent D.J. Humphries. He suffered a hamstring injury in the last game and is questionable at best. Lack of protection has forced Mahomes into a short passing game most of the year. As a result, the Chiefs' 16th overall offensive ranking is by far the worst in Mahomes' seven seasons.
5. While their overall defensive ranking is respectable (sixth), the Chiefs have weaknesses at two important areas – pass rush and the secondary. Other than tackle Chris Jones, there is no consistent pass rush threat. The Chiefs’ 27 sacks are tied for 25th in the NFL. The cornerback position opposite Trent McDuffie has been a problem all year; they've had three different starters there. The Chiefs this week signed Steven Nelson, 31, out of retirement to help out.
Did you know … ?
1. The Chiefs have clinched their ninth straight division title. That’s the second-longest streak in NFL history. Also, they’ve won 12 or more games in seven of the last nine seasons.
2. When the Chiefs lost feature running back Isiah Pacheco to a leg injury in September, they called back Kareem Hunt, who was out of football after the Browns elected to not re-sign him. The NFL rushing champion with the Chiefs as a rookie in 2017 was banished from the team in 2018 after a video surfaced of him kicking and pushing a woman. Hunt then spent five seasons with the Browns. In place of Pacheco, Hunt has led the Chiefs in rushing with 608 yards and five touchdowns. But Pacheco returned last week and will resume his role as No. 1 back.
3. Matt Wright, who kicked a game-winning field goal off the left post against the Chargers, is the third kicker used by the Chiefs this year. Mainstay Harrison Butker had meniscus surgery after Week 10 and could return from injured reserve soon. Spencer Shrader replaced Butker for two games before suffering a hamstring injury. Overall, the three kickers are 29 of 32 on field goals with all three misses coming from 50+ yards.
4. The Chiefs experimented with using safety Justin Reid as a kickoff specialist in preseason but scrapped the idea when the season started. But as a result of the kicker injuries, Reid has returned as the kickoff specialist for now.
5. Receiver Xavier Worthy, who set an NFL Combine record with a 4.21 clocking the 40-yard dash, has not been the deep threat as anticipated, mostly because Mahomes hasn’t had the time to allow deep routes to develop. Worthy has been getting the ball on short throws. He’s averaging 11.8 yards a catch with a long of 54 yards.
Small world: Tight end Travis Kelce is from Cleveland Heights … running back Kareem Hunt played for the Browns 2019-23 … defensive line coach Joe Cullen had the same job with the Browns in 2013.