Cleveland Browns: 3 Overreactions to Week 1 loss vs Chiefs

Third Overreaction – The Browns still can’t finish games

A tale as old as time, the Cleveland Browns choking and being unable to finish games. That’s what this game was, a choke job.

Yes, the Chiefs are one of the best teams in the AFC and arguably the best team in the NFL, but the Browns had control throughout the game and lost because of sloppy play and mental mistakes.

The loss can’t be attributed to any individual player because it was a complete collapse at all three phases. The special teams mishaps with the bobbled punt that ended up in a Jamie Gilliam scramble, the defense not breaking up the touchdown pass to Travis Kelce on 3rd down in the red zone to force a field goal, and the offense sputtering out on the last drive of the game.

Overall, the first part of the game was perfect and there wasn’t much that should’ve been changed, but the second half was the slow, inevitable comeback by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Browns defense was down Ronnie Harrison who was ejected from the game early after an altercation with a Chiefs assistant coach. The defense also doesn’t have that much experience playing together as many of the key players are either new to the team or spent last season out with injury.

With the defense completely healthy and accounted for, meaning Harrison played the entire game and Grant Delpit and Jacob Phillips were able to play, the game would’ve gone very differently. The addition of Odell Beckham Jr to the offense and the retention of Jedrick Wills, who left early due to an injury, theoretically could have been enough to keep the Browns in the game and maintain the lead.

As the season continues, the Browns need to step it up and finish games on a weekly basis, it’s only week 1 but this can’t become a habit.