This is a great way to start a game against the 12-1 Chiefs -- a fumbled punt by James Proche. It led to Kansas City's first touchdown in their rout. (Kansas City Chiefs)
You must have an active subscription to read this story.
Click Here to subscribe Now!
Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst of the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Instant takeaways from Browns 21-7 loss to Kansas City Chiefs …
1. Make it stop: “Browns beating the Browns” has been a recurring theme and that’s what happened again in front of a one-third empty Huntington Bank Field. James Winston tossed three more interceptions and the Browns added two lost fumbles in losing to the Chiefs, 21-7. The Browns’ defense kept the Browns in the game in the second half by harassing Patrick Mahomes relentlessly. But Winston had two interceptions in the second half and Nick Chubb lost a fumble. Dorian Thompson-Robinson replaced Winston with 7:55 to go in the game and had a decent throw to convert fourth-and-11 on his first possession. But Germain Ifedi was flagged for illegal formation, naturally, and the Browns chose to punt. DTR added an interception on his last possession for a sixth Browns turnover For the Chiefs, this was a rare “breather” win to go to 13-1; they put in Carson Wentz in the fourth. The Browns fell to 3-11, leaving them to consider a quarterback change, if their “processes” allow.
2. Driven by Ford: With Chubb out with a foot injury, Jerome Ford took over the brunt of the rushing load in the third quarter. The crowd was still booing a 13-yard sack on Winston when Ford took a handoff on 2-and-23 from the 38-yard line. Ford broke it around the right edge and raced all the way, 62 yards, for the Browns’ first score of the game. Ford was energizing the offense in the fourth quarter on a promising possession when Winston deflated things again with his third interception. Winston finished the game with a 40.2 passer rating on 16 of 25 completions for 146 yards and the 3 INTs.
3. J.J. or bust: For most of the game, if it wasn’t for Jerry Jeudy, the Browns would have no offense. Through three quarters, Jeudy had 81 yards to surpass 1,000 on the season for the first time in his career. Jeudy had 7 receptions on 8 targets. The only miss was on a Winston pass deflected into the dirt. Jeudy finished with 108 yards on 11 of 14 targets.
4. No way to go: Browns received the kickoff first in the second half. On their first play, Winston threw underneath to Chubb. He juggled the ball and linebacker Nick Bolton grabbed it away for an interception. The Chiefs scored in four plays. Then on the Browns’ first play of their next possession, Chubb ran for seven yards and had the ball punched out by linebacker Leo Chenal. The Chiefs recovered but didn’t score. At that point, the Browns had four turnovers – two fumbles and two interceptions. Chubb left the game in the third quarter with a foot injury.
5. Myles down, and back: Myles Garrett left the game with 4:46 to play in the first half with an eye injury. It looked severe. Garrett was engaged with left tackle Joe Thuney when Thuney’s right hand appeared to scrape Garrett’s face. Either that, or Garrett’s helmet visor came loose and caused the injury. Either way, Garrett lay on the ground for several minutes receiving attention from the med staff. He walked to the locker room with a towel draped over his face. Garrett sprinted back out of the locker room with 1:42 left in the half and returned to the field. Garrett needed just a portion of a sack to reach 100 in his career. He didn't get it.
6. Big lift: In a first half of virtually no offense from the Browns (74 total yards), the crowd got something to cheer about when Harrison Butker missed a 29-yard field goal wide left. It was Butker’s first field goal attempt after missing four games with a knee injury. He had been 6-of-6 from 29 yards or less. Hey, you take what you can get. It kept the Chiefs’ lead at 14-0 at halftime.
7. Jameis being Jameis: Winston had a rough first half. He was 7 of 13 for 52 yards. But that included a 5-of-6 receiving half by Jerry Jeudy. When Winston targeted somebody other than Jeudy, he was 2 of 7 for 1 yard. He was intercepted in the end zone by safety Bryan Cook when he threw deep for Elijah Moore, who was double covered. Later in the second quarter, the Browns went for it on fourth-and-1 from the Chiefs’ 40. Winston lined up in the shotgun, looked to throw, had plenty of time, and finally threw incomplete for Moore at about the 20. The ball was almost intercepted by Nazeeh Johnson.
8. Unspecial start: Bubba Ventrone’s special teams continued their awful season. On the Chiefs’ first punt, James Proche lost a fumble at the 21-yard line. Mahomes got the touchdown three plays later on a 7-yard toss to JuJu Smith-Schuster. The special teams also was flagged for two penalties and had a bad punt by Corey Bojorquez. One positive play was a 45-yard kickoff return by Jerome Ford.
9. DB shortage: Cornerback M.J. Emerson suffered a concussion early in the game and did not return. With Greg Newsome previously placed on injured reserve, the Browns played the rest of the game with Denzel Ward and Cameron Mitchell as outside cornerbacks and rookie Myles Harden played the slot.
10. Pre-game notes: As expected, Riley Patterson replaced slumping Dustin Hopkins as the Browns’ kicker. Also, tight end David Njoku and receiver Cedric Tillman were among the inactives. Others: quarterback Bailey Zappe, running back D’Onta Foreman, cornerback Chigozie Anusiem and defensive end James Houston.