CLEVELAND — As the clock wound down in the fourth quarter on Sunday, the primary concern for the Chiefs centered around Patrick Mahomes’ injured ankle. Mahomes successfully delivered two touchdown passes prior to leaving the game due to an ankle injury, which occurred during a tackle. Kansas City secured a convincing 21-7 victory over the error-prone Cleveland Browns.
In the first half, Mahomes connected with Juju Smith-Schuster and Noah Gray for touchdowns, helping the Chiefs (13-1) establish a 21-0 lead. The second half proved to be a tougher experience as both teams struggled offensively. Kansas City’s defense was bolstered by Cleveland’s uncharacteristic mistakes, marking their tenth win this season by seven points or fewer.
Mahomes exited the game after sustaining an ankle injury when he was tackled by Dalvin Tomlinson on a fourth-down attempt. He completed 19 of 38 passes for 159 yards before being replaced by Carson Wentz, who finished the final 5:23 of the game. In the aftermath, Mahomes reported that X-rays showed no fractures and expressed a desire to resume play if the game had been closer. “I’ll focus on rehab and treatment to get ready for the next game,” Mahomes remarked, indicating the Chiefs’ upcoming Saturday match is part of a challenging stretch of three games within 11 days.
Before heading to the locker room, Mahomes received a retaping of his left ankle while seated on the bench. Though he walked gingerly off the field, he appeared to show no signs of favoring the injury during postgame activities. He was transported to the team buses using a cart. Coach Andy Reid shared relief that the injury wasn’t severe but acknowledged that further assessments would follow.
Meanwhile, the Browns (3-11) faced major challenges on offense, marked by six turnovers throughout the game. Aside from a spectacular 62-yard touchdown run by Jerome Ford, their plays were riddled with errors, including three interceptions thrown by Jameis Winston and two lost fumbles. The five turnovers significantly eased the task for Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense.
Compounding Cleveland’s woes, running back Nick Chubb sustained a broken foot, an unfortunate turn of events following his previous knee injury last season. After throwing his third interception, Winston was benched in favor of backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who also threw an interception. Coach Kevin Stefanski did not announce a starting quarterback for the upcoming week, emphasizing that the team’s turnover rate was unacceptable. “You cannot turn the ball over six times and expect to win. It’s that simple,” he stated.
In receiving news, Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy made an impact with 11 receptions for 108 yards, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for the season. The Chiefs’ second touchdown came shortly after the Browns’ standout defensive end Myles Garrett suffered an apparent eye injury while trying to tackle Mahomes. Garrett, the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, was seen attending to his face before being helped off the field. Fortunately, he was able to return to the game shortly after.
The Chiefs extended their lead to 21-0 early in the third quarter, following an interception by Winston that was set up by a bobble from Chubb. Just four plays later, Xavier Worthy took a pass from Mahomes and scored on a deep pitch.
Setting the stage for Kansas City’s opening score was a fumble by James Proche II during a punt return, which the Chiefs recovered, allowing Mahomes to hit Smith-Schuster for a 7-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Amidst the game, pop icon Taylor Swift opted not to attend despite speculation that she would support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ tight end. Swift had previously been seen at several Chiefs games since her relationship with Kelce began.
Injury reports indicated that Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner suffered a concussion, while tight end Kelce appeared to limp but ultimately continued playing. On the Browns’ side, cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. exited for concussion evaluation and did not return, alongside defensive tackle Shelby Harris, who left with an elbow injury.
Looking ahead, the Chiefs are set to battle the Houston Texans at home on December 21, followed by an away game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day. The Browns will head to Cincinnati for their next clash this Sunday.
