Cleveland Browns Week 1 grades: An early ‘A’ performance ended in failure late

Cleveland Browns Offense: Grade B

The Browns would have earned an A today if they had finished the game off and secured the win, but down the stretch they suffered two 3 and out series and then a final drive that ended in an interception thrown by Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.

For the majority of the game, Mayfield was in command of the offense, picking apart the Chiefs defense. It was masterful watching him operate, especially watching the game in person.

Mayfield’s throws were accurate and sizzling in the hot Kansas City summer sunshine. Mayfield finished the game going 21 for 28 and 321 yards through the air. He was connecting with his rookie wideout Anthony Schwartz early and often connecting on three passes for 69 yards.

Then there was the connection Mayfield had going with his tight end David Njoku where they were good on three passes as well for 76 yards as the Browns exposed that Chiefs defense as Njoku and his 6-4 height had an advantage all day on the smaller Chief cornerbacks.

The Browns run game was as advertised. For the game they ran for 153 yards. Browns running back Nick Chubb ran for 85 of those yards and scored two touchdowns. Their other back, Kareem Hunt ran well too and scored a touchdown.

Cleveland’s big blunder in the run game was Chubb’s untimely fumble half way through the 3rd quarter around midfield. Chubb had just bulldozed through the Chiefs weak run defense for 23 yards on back-to-back plays.

However, on the third hand off to Chubb, he had the ball punched out, unexpectedly as he’s only fumbled five times in his Browns career, and that fumble gave the Chiefs a bit of renewed momentum to start their comeback in the second half.

The last three offensive series spelled doom as well. The two 3 and outs on downs was at the wrong time and allowed the Chiefs team and its fans to get back in the game. That noise of the crowd might have had an effect on the Browns punter too as his fumble inside the Browns 15 yard line completely change the outcome of the game.