Five things that stood out about the Kansas City Chiefs’ comeback win over the Browns

The September record is still without a blemish.

Never a doubt, right?

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes improved to a career 11-0 in the opening month of the season, willing the Chiefs to a 33-29 comeback win against the Browns.

Wasn’t perfect. Wasn’t close to perfect.

It took some late-game heroics. It took a bit of luck, too.

How, exactly, did we get here? Let’s take a look at five immediate observations from the game:

1. Chiefs still know how to win late

For all of the conversation about a better intensity to start games to avoid needing a comeback, the Chiefs trailed for the first three quarters.

And then they reminded us all of the trait that carried them through the 2020 season:

They’ll find a way to win games.

New cornerback Mike Hughes sealed it with an interception late. But only after Patrick Mahomes was Patrick Mahomes — the 75-yard bomb to Tyreek Hill while rolling out of the pocket will go on the season-ending highlight reel.

And it even required that aforementioned bit of luck, too — Cleveland punter Jamie Gillan dropped a snap to set up one Chiefs score.

And after a disastrous start, the defense made three consecutive stops to end the game. Speaking of which ...

2. The Chiefs defense

Where to start?

The Chiefs would prefer the focus remain exclusively on the second half — and to be fair, they made adjustments that provided the Browns some resistance after they faced none of it in the opening half. It ended with the Hughes interception, but it all started with a forced fumble. Juan Thornhill jarred the ball loose from Nick Chubb, and the Chiefs followed with back-to-back three-and-outs before the interception.

Still, it will be hard to forget the way it all started. The Chiefs were bad in the red zone; they rarely pressured the quarterback; and they were thoroughly handled at the line of scrimmage in the game.

That added up to the Browns averaging 9.9 yards per play in the first half. Couldn’t stop the run. Couldn’t stop the pass.

The Chiefs spent the summer talking about becoming better in the red zone. They were 32nd in the league in red zone defense a year ago. Well, they didn’t start 2021 much better. The Browns scored on all four trips inside the 20.

Yes, the Chiefs were missing some guys — safety Tyrann Mathieu, linebacker Willie Gay and defensive end Frank Clark — but plain and simple, the defense will have to be better moving forward.

3. Yeah, about that third receiving option

Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill? Still good.

OK, still really good. Like, good enough in which the Browns probably shouldn’t have tried single coverage.

But a question that hovered over training camp — who’s the Chiefs next best outlet for Patrick Mahomes — isn’t going anywhere after the opener.

Hill had 11 catches for 197 yards and a touchdown. Kelce had 6 for 76 and two touchdowns. (As we said, really good.)

The Chiefs’ next leading receiver, though, had all of 29 yards, and that was running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

4. Foot on the gas pedal

The Chiefs should probably get accustomed to this.

The Browns went full throttle on aggressive calls — fourth downs, two-point conversions, you name it. And they worked, too.

On each of their first two drives, the Browns waved off their kicker in favor of keeping their offense on the field, and they each time they converted — the second a Jarvis Landry 5-yard touchdown run. And after Chris Jones jumped offsides on an extra-point attempt, the Browns bypassed the kick in favor of a two-point conversion, allowing Kareem Hunt to hop the pile for the two points.

In all, those decisions led to an extra nine points on the first two drives.

As a team favored in all but one game this season — entering the year, anyway — the Chiefs ought to expect the Browns to hardly be the last opponent to take some risks.

5. The goal line play sheet

After the Chiefs spent the offseason overhauling their offensive line — to the tune of five new starters Sunday — you’d think they would be better equipped to play some power football near the goal line.

You’d think.

But on their initial goal-to-go situation, they pulled a trick reminiscent of last year’s playbook. Patrick Mahomes flipped an underhand pass to Mike Remmers. (Yes, Mike Remmers, the backup offensive tackle who served as the sixth linemen on the play.) The play lost 2 yards.

One snap later, Mahomes scrambled for a 5-yard touchdown run, the Chiefs’ first of the season.

In the third quarter, the Chiefs appeared prepared for another trick play — Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Blake Bell all in the backfield — but a false-start penalty preempted it.