The Cleveland Browns haven’t been in the AFC divisional round since the 1994 season. The Kansas City Chiefs played in this round a year ago, staging one of the most epic comebacks in NFL history in scorching past the Houston Texans. Trailing 24-0, the Chiefs surged back for a 51-31 victory on their way to a Super Bowl title.
It’s a matchup between the up-and-coming Browns and the been-there, done-that Chiefs. Kansas City is the AFC’s No. 1 seed after going 14-2 in the regular season, and they’re rested after the bye week. It’s a real challenge for the Browns but an achievable one.
To help get more info on the Chiefs, I turned to Chiefs Wire editor and old friend Charles Goldman for a few questions. Goldman offered up some thoughts on the Chiefs potential for rust, where the Browns have an edge and more.
Many of the big-name Chiefs haven’t played in 3 weeks. Is there any concern over some early rust from Mahomes, Kelce & Co.?
If you look at how the K.C. offense started against the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs last year, there is no way that you cannot be at least a little concerned about rust. The thing is Mahomes, Kelce, and so on — they’re all well aware that they didn’t start that game the way they wanted to. They’ve really done everything they can to stay ready ahead of this game.
During Week 17, the players that weren’t injured actually worked and took all of the scout team repetitions and that includes Patrick Mahomes. Then during the bye week, they’ve all been doing a little extra in order to keep their minds and bodies limber.
Basically, they’re making the adjustments that they think they need to make to not come out looking rusty against the Browns. I’m not sure there’s really any tried and true method to it, though.
The Chiefs start two former Browns on the offensive line. How good is the line overall, and how have Andrew Wylie and Austin Reiter played for Kansas City?
The offensive line in Kansas City has seen an up and down year. They started out with two opt-outs from Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Lucas Niang. They signed Kelechi Osemele to play left guard, but he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3. Another former member of the Browns, Chiefs starting RT Mitchell Schwartz, has been out since Week 7.
So by Week 7, the Chiefs were already down their two starting guards, their starting right tackle and the player presumed to be the swing tackle. So they’ve been making do with what they have, which admittedly isn’t much. Reiter has been an above-average player in pass protection, but he has been hampered at times this season by a knee injury. I feel confident saying that he is the most consistent guy the Chiefs have on the offensive line right now.
Wylie has played a career-high in snaps this season and even started a game at right tackle, but his play hasn’t been anything spectacular. Mike Remmers and Eric Fisher get the job done as bookends, but they’re each prone to mistakes. I expect them to err a few times against a player like Myles Garrett.
What is one thing about the Browns that should worry the Chiefs?
I think that they’re going to be able to find success when they go empty against Kansas City. With Willie Gay Jr. sidelined by a high ankle sprain, the Chiefs have basically lost their most athletic linebacker. If the Browns can get Kareem Hunt or Nick Chubb isolated on Ben Niemann or Damien Wilson, that’s a pretty big mismatch in coverage. I’m hoping the Chiefs utilize their sub-package with Daniel Sorensen subbed in at linebacker to maybe offset that mismatch, but that might just be wishful thinking. They’ve favored their regular nickel package lately because it allows Tyrann Mathieu to roam in the secondary.
Who are a couple of Chiefs players who don’t get enough credit for the team’s success?
I think the defense in general doesn’t get enough credit. This is a unit that held nine teams to 21 points or less this year. Two of those teams are still in the AFC playoff race too (Bills & Ravens). Guys like Starting MIKE linebacker Anthony Hitchens, he’s having perhaps his best season as a professional. He’s the “glue guy” on the defensive side of the ball and he wears the green dot.
Then there’s rookie CB L’Jarius Sneed — this kid started the season playing outside corner. Led the NFL in interceptions by Week 2, but breaks his collarbone in Week 3. Had he not been injured he might be in the conversation for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s playing nickel corner now without practicing or preparing for that spot at all during the offseason.
I’ll give you one more too, ‘Dirty Dan’ Sorensen. He’s been highly underrated throughout his entire career, but he has a knack for game-changing plays when the Chiefs need it most. He’s had three game-ending interceptions over the past two seasons.
Your perception of Baker Mayfield from afar?
I see a good, possibly great, quarterback that was dealt a bad hand for the first few seasons of his NFL career. I think maybe in the past, he was perceived as testy or immature because the Browns weren’t winning enough games. He’s a competitor, though, so I get the frustration over the lack of winning. Patrick Mahomes vowed that when he got to the NFL he was going to win games because he was sick of losing them at Texas Tech.
Right now, it seems like Mayfield is getting comfortable in Kevin Stefanski’s system and they’re doing a better job of putting him in a position to succeed. They’re not trying to fit him to some antiquated offense, but they’re doing some things that suit his game best. That’s the right way to do it and frankly, I’m happy for Mayfield. T
he NFL needs more success stories like his because teams are too quick to give up on quarterbacks. Coaching matters, situations matter and he’s in a good one right now.
Who wins and why?
At the risk of sounding like a homer– I think the Chiefs will win this game without much resistance. Getting back to the Super Bowl was what this team set out to do at the start of the season and they’re two games away from that goal. The majority of their players have been here before and that veteran mindset matters in moments like these.
The bottom line for me: K.C. has the best trio of offensive players in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. They’ve averaged just under 30 points per game on offense this season. I don’t doubt that the Browns offense can score some points in this game, but I do wonder if a defense giving up an average of nearly 27 points per game can do enough to win.