In Week 15, the Kansas City Chiefs traveled to Cleveland to face the Browns, and the Sunday afternoon game provided plenty of learning opportunities.
Following a string of close calls in recent weeks, the Kansas City Chiefs got off to a strong start in Week 15 and rode that momentum to victory. While it wasn’t always attractive, it was certainly exciting as the defending Super Bowl champs defeated the Cleveland Browns 21-7. Andy Reid’s side has won four straight games and 13 overall this season.
With that in mind, here are four key lessons from Sunday’s game.
Despite scoring two touchdowns, the Chiefs’ first-half offense left plenty to be desired
Given that they led 14-0 at halftime, criticizing the Kansas City offense’s early performance may appear to be nitpicking. After all, they had a swift touchdown drive in the first quarter and followed it with a 14-play, 87-yard drive that included seven first downs. That, paired with a 5.1 yard-per-play average, does not indicate a struggling unit. A closer look reveals that there was significant space for improvement.
In the opening quarter of play, Patrick Mahomes went 3-for-6 for 23 yards. The Kansas City offense went 0-for-3 on third down in the first quarter and finished the half 2-for-7. Four of the club’s first five possessions were punts, three of which were three-and-out plays. On Sunday, one long series and a short-field scoring drive courtesy of a muffed punt performed a lot of the hard lifting. Inconsistency remains a major concern for Reid and Matt Nagy’s group. That reared its ugly head again in the second half, with repeated three-and-outs in a row, and Mahomes developing a skid of consecutive incompletions.
No D.J. Humphries, no problem against Myles Garrett and company
The Chiefs have struggled at left tackle all season, especially with numerous players coming in at different times. To start the year, rookie Kingsley Suamataia struggled and was finally replaced by Wanya Morris. Morris’ performance deteriorated over the next few weeks, and Kansas City made an unexpected step by allowing left guard Joe Thuney to have restricted reps late in Week 13. Signing D.J. Humphries was considered as a potential answer, but he was removed from the lineup after sustaining a hamstring injury in Week 14. However, none of that appeared to help an otherwise questionable offensive on Sunday.
Thuney took up at left tackle in Humphries’ absence this weekend. He didn’t have an easy task, either, as reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett awaited him. Kansas City made it obvious this week that they were aware of Garrett’s propensity to destroy a game, but he had a quiet afternoon on Sunday. Thuney handled the job about as well as one could have hoped, with some assistance from play-calling decisions that moved the ball away from Garrett. As the club anticipates Humphries’ return before the end of the season, it was successful in its short-term replacement strategy for a week. Patrick Mahomes’ late-game ankle injury does not change that.
Steve Spagnuolo’s defense showed up and showed out in Week 15
This week’s Kansas City Chiefs On SI preview of Week 15’s game mentioned that this could be the week for some Chiefs defensive turnovers. In recent games, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense struggled with secondary coverage and became a weak link in the absence of cornerback Jaylen Watson. As it turned out, facing Jameis Winston was exactly what the doctor ordered for the entire defense. Kansas City played so well that the veteran quarterback was replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robinson after a poor performance.
Just about any statistical measure can highlight the Chiefs’ strongest defensive effort in Week 15. Spagnuolo’s team forced six punts and allowed only 266 total net yards, while restricting Cleveland’s offense to a 4-for-12 split on third downs. The most surprising development was a defense that entered Sunday ranked 28th in turnovers but forced a stunning five of them. Winston’s three interceptions, a Nick Chubb fumble, and Thompson-Robinson’s interception all contributed to a relatively stress-free win despite the offense’s lackluster performance. A muffed punt on special teams was the deciding factor in what could have been an even larger blowout.
Kansas City is one step closer to capturing the AFC’s No. 1 seed
Kansas City had a 12-1 record and a two-game lead over the Buffalo Bills (and Pittsburgh Steelers) for the best AFC position heading into Sunday’s game. A victory over Cleveland not only makes it a lucky 13 for the reigning champions, but it also keeps them on track for a coveted first-round bye. Week 15 marked another significant milestone in an already long journey.
While the outcomes of Buffalo’s late-afternoon window games against the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles are unknown as of the publication of this piece, the Chiefs’ best option is to focus on their own business. They have power over their own destiny at the convention, regardless of what occurs elsewhere. With only three regular-season weeks remaining, Sean Payton’s team may find that Week 18’s game against the Denver Broncos is only significant. If next weekend goes as anticipated in Kansas City, the clinch could possibly be moved up.
