The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a 19-17 walk-off win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football. This victory gave the Chiefs its ninth consecutive divisional title. It marked another close victory for Kansas City, whose season has been filled with marginal wins. Now, the Chiefs hit the road and the focus is on their Week 15 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
The Chiefs (12-1) have the best record in the NFL and control their destiny when it comes to obtaining the No. 1 seed in the AFC. A win over the Browns would bring them one step closer to securing this advantage of having an extra week off plus home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, Cleveland (3-10) on the other side of the spectrum has been eliminated from postseason contention, leaving them with little more than pride to play for.
This matchup will take place on Sunday, December 15, at 1 p.m. EDT in Cleveland, airing on CBS. The Chiefs are 6.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 42.5, according to ESPN odds.
Game/Team Matchup Info
The Chiefs enter this game as the clear favorites with a more balanced offense than they’ve had in recent years and a top-10 defense. They also have history on their side. Kansas City in its last four regular season meetings against the Browns are 4-0. Including their playoff divisional game in 2020, they have won five straight games against Cleveland.
Kansas City Head Coach Andy Reid is 8-0 against Cleveland, while Patrick Mahomes is 3-0 against the Browns, and both are looking to add another win to the ledger this weekend. The Chiefs notoriously have had at least one game every season where they stumble against an inferior opponent, however, this season has not been the norm for them as they’ve been able to do just enough to fend off every opponent but one this season.
As for Cleveland, they have struggled in all areas this season, despite having talented players on the roster. It has not been able to transfer in terms of wins for them this year. Entering Week 15, their offense ranks 22nd overall, and they have the league’s worst rushing attack and a middling passing game. Defensively, they aren’t much better, ranked 21st overall, 22nd against the run, and 13th against the pass. These rankings paired with the Browns play on the field for the majority of this season show us the challenging circumstances they are in.
Can the Chiefs Find Consistency On Offense?
Kansas City for much of the season has been a rollercoaster in terms of offensive production. Injuries play a part in this, but so do coaching and personnel on the field. As of late, the Chiefs have been able to move the ball efficiently down the field, but when they enter the red zone, that’s where they typically stall out. In their last two games, both instances where they scored just 19 points, they were 2-for-7 in this part of the field.
Fortunately, the Chiefs coaching staff has been able to find serviceable kickers to allow them to at least get some points when they fail to get into the endzone. However, at some point not being able to get touchdowns instead of field goals will hurt them. That could potentially be the week facing a Browns team that has nothing to play for.
Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs offense have the talent to get back on track moving forward. Cleveland’s defense is not stellar in any area, so establishing a rushing attack with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt should work.
They are still dealing with offensive tackle issues as D.J. Humphries is unlikely to play this week against the Browns and Jawaan Taylor who will likely be in the lineup is dealing with a lingering knee injury. This is not the game to try airing it out but instead play off their running game to open up opportunities for their passing game, and take advantage of Cleveland’s defensive flaws.
Browns Look To Spoil KC’s Momentum
The Browns have endured a season filled with injuries and inconsistent performances. Despite their issues, they have the tools to challenge Kansas City. On the offensive end, they are led by Jameis Winston, who became the Browns starter in Week 8. Since taking over for Cleveland, Winston is tied for fourth in the league with 30 deep-ball tries (20+ plus yards or more), completing 13 for 466 yards and a league-leading 7 touchdowns.
Not only do they have a quarterback at the helm who is not afraid of airing the ball out downfield as much as he can, but they have also their own dynamic duo in the run game with Jerome Ford and Nick Chubb. With Chubb being more of the explosive back that’s relied on in their scoring situations and then Ford being more of their hard-hitting, yardage back. This duo will be crucial in wearing down a formidable Chiefs defensive front.
Once worn down, Winston can do what he does best and air it out for his pass catchers to make plays down the field. This is where players like Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, and David Njoku can strive. Jeudy leads the Browns in receiving yards and has led the entire NFL in this area over the past month. Moore, after a slow start to the season, has seen his production increase since Winston has taken over with 31 receptions for 345 yards and one touchdown in his six games with Jameis at the helm.
Then there’s Njoku who leads the team in touchdowns (five) and is their big-body red zone threat which as a tight end is something the Chiefs have struggled defending. Clevland has more than enough weapons to pull off this win, it will come down to if they can execute when the moment demands it.
Players To Watch For the Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs offensive player to watch in this will be Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Since being acquired by the Chiefs from the Titans, Hopkins has excelled at getting open despite tight man coverage This has allowed Mahomes with an escape valve when he’s looking down the field, and his ability to make contested jump ball catches doesn’t hurt as well. In his first seven games with the team, he has 30 catches for 357 yards and four touchdowns.
The Chiefs defensive player to watch in this game will be Defensive End Charles Omenihu, who will be playing in his third game back since returning from injury. In his first two outings against the Raiders and Chargers, he recorded only one tackle, but his impact goes beyond the stats.
No. 90, for Kansas City, has opened more rushing lanes with his explosiveness at the line of scrimmage which has allowed his teammates in the middle and backend of their defense to get home. As Omenhiu continues ramping up expect to see his stat sheet start filling up but in the meantime watch closely to the attention he draws whenever he’s on the field and what in turn does for his teammates.
Players To Watch for the Cleveland Browns
Jameis Winston is the offensive player to watch for the Browns and it’s due to his unique play style. If executed properly this team is more than capable. However, the opposite could be true as well if not they can also suffer a lopsided defeat. Since taking over as starter for the Browns, Winston has had extremely high highs and very low lows. The Chiefs this season have allowed 8 passing plays of 40 yards or more, an area that Winston and this offense will have to take advantage of if they are to have any hope of pulling off the upset.
On defense, Myles Garrett will be the player to watch. As the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and one of the league’s premier pass rushers, his ability to disrupt opposing offenses is almost unmatched by anyone in the NFL. On the season Garett has recorded 11 sacks which is the second-most in the NFL. He also has 15 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, all team-highs.
He enters this game at 99.5 sacks, something he’s surely aware of. Reaching the 100-sack mark will give Cleveland its best chance to come out on top. By doing what he does best will be the Browns’ best chance on this end to come out with this win.
Final Thoughts
This game presents Kansas City with another opportunity to solidify its playoff position in the AFC. Throughout this season the Chiefs have shown the ability to take care of inferior opponents and close out close games in their favor. That is something they will look to do once again.
For Cleveland, playing spoiler could be a morale boost in an otherwise disappointing season. However, to accomplish this the Browns will have to capitalize on the big play opportunities that will be there and limit turnovers. If they do so they may be able to keep the game competitive, late with a chance to pull it out, however, the Chiefs’ experience does give them a clear edge heading into Sunday.
