KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 17: Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns and head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs talk on the field prior to the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
There’s a playoff rematch from a year ago at Arrowhead Stadium. The Cleveland Browns return to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs.
A season ago, the Cleveland Browns reached the playoffs for the first time since 2002. They engaged the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild card round and came away with a 48-37 win. It was the club’s first postseason victory since 1994. A week later, it was onto Kansas City. But Kevin Stefanski’s club came up just short, 22-17.
Now the Browns face the same team that ended their 2020 campaign. There are high expectations in Cleveland and what better test than a playoff rematch with the Chiefs to start the season.
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It was a game that in some ways wasn’t as close as the final score may indicate. The Chiefs hung on for a five-point win but when quarterback Patrick Mahomes was in the game, the Kansas City offense had few problems moving the football. He would connect on 21 of his 30 throws for 255 yards and one touchdown and he also ran for another score before exiting the game midway through the third quarter.
Andy Reid’s club would roll up 438 total yards despite the fact that Mahomes was missing for roughly one third of the game. The Browns were limited to 308 yards of offense and two turnover proved costly.