CLEVELAND (AP) _ Patrick Mahomes passed for 375 yards, threw three touchdown
passes _ two to Travis Kelce _ and continued the best start by an NFL
quarterback in 68 years as Kansas City’s impossible-to-handle offense kept
rolling with a 37-21 win on Sunday over the Cleveland Browns, who played their
first game since coach Hue Jackson’s firing.
Kareem Hunt had two scoring runs and one receiving for the Chiefs (8-1), who
came in averaging 36.3 points per game with an offense overloaded with weapons
for Mahomes.
The 23-year-old used all of them in winning his first pro matchup against Baker
Mayfield and the Browns (2-6-1).
Mahomes and Mayfield didn’t match their epic college meeting in 2016, when they
combined for more than 1,700 yards in offense. But the Chiefs put on another
impressive offensive show with 499 total yards, averaging 8.6 per snap.
In his second season, Mahomes, who made just one start as a rookie, already has
29 TD passes and 3,185 yards, the most by any QB through 10 games since 1950. He
has passed for at least 300 yards in eight straight games.
Cleveland lost its fourth straight, but it looked better under interim coach
Gregg Williams than it did with Jackson, fired on Monday after going 3-36-1 in
two-plus seasons.
Mayfield threw two TD passes to Duke Johnson and finished 29 of 42 for 297
yards with one interception.
The Browns came in facing a monumental task in trying to slow Mahomes and an
offense with speed, depth and no noticeable weaknesses.
Things got much tougher for Cleveland when starting cornerback Damarious
Randall (groin) was scratched and E.J. Gaines (concussion) and rookie Denzel
Ward (hip) both got hurt in the first half.
Kansas City scored a touchdown on its first three possessions and the Chiefs
only had the ball for 11:29 in the first half as the Browns were able to control
the clock.
The Chiefs picked up where they left off in the third quarter with Mahomes
firing a 13-yard TD pass to Kelce, giving Kansas City a 28-15 lead.
Hunt then scored on a 10-yard run, two plays after Kansas City’s Damien
Williams blocked a punt.
Mahomes’ 11-yard TD pass to Kelce early in the second quarter gave the Chiefs a
14-3 lead, and with their offense firing on all cylinders, it appeared they
might be on their way to an easy win.
But the Browns responded with a 75-yard drive capped by Nick Chubb’s 3-yard TD
run. Williams, who showed early on he was going to take risks by going for it on
fourth down, went for 2 but the conversion failed. Cleveland didn’t convert
three times on 2-point tries.
MAYFIELD HEAD SHOT
Mayfield was checked for a concussion and cleared after a questionable hit late
in the third quarter.
Mayfield was backpedaling and being wrapped up by Chris Jones when the rookie
QB was struck in the helmet by Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker, who came in
late but was not penalized. The NFL’s on-site medical spotter called down and
Mayfield had to leave the game to be checked for a head injury.
LUCKY STREAK
The Chiefs won the coin toss for the ninth consecutive week and elected to
defer.
GREAT SEATS
A Cleveland native, Hunt bought more than 100 tickets for the game and had them
given to the players and coaches at his high school alma mater.
UP NEXT
Chiefs: Host Arizona on Nov. 11
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