Studs and Duds from Browns’ disappointing loss to the Chiefs

The Cleveland Browns got embarrassed at home by the Kansas City Chiefs. The team showed no fight as they lost 7-21 against the reigning Super Bowl Champions.

The Browns haven’t been thoroughly trampled since their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. The only people more disappointed in Huntington Field Stadium were the few kids in the audience hoping to glance at Taylor Swift in a suite.

The game was close for the first three plays of the game. The Chiefs punted the ball and James Proche II muffed the punt, giving them the ball in the red zone. Their train derailed immediately afterward as the Browns gave up a quick touchdown.

The train derailed and fans saw it turn into a tank before our eyes. The Browns benched quarterback Jameis Winston after his third interception. The Browns threw in Dorian Thompson-Robinson to replace him. Thompson-Robinson threw one interception to seal the game.

The Browns showed up in name only on Sunday. There were only duds in their defeat against the Chiefs.

Duds: Defensive Line

The Cleveland Browns’ defensive line had a horrible game against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The defensive line couldn’t sack the magician.

Excluding Myles Garrett, the Browns’ defensive line has been miserable since trading Za’Darius Smith. The unit has not generated consistent pass rush as they struggle to collapse pockets. The collection of new players has thrown their chemistry out of sync.

Sacks are primarily a team and quarterback stat. All four linemen must cut off the quarterback’s escape routes and wrestle them to the ground. Quarterbacks can avoid sacks by throwing the ball right before they get sacked.

The line abandoned their pass-rush plan against Mahomes. They tried to keep Mahomes in front of their linemen but couldn’t keep him in the pocket. The quarterback was able to drift and bide time behind solid blocking. Mahomes made enough plays through the air to catapult the Chiefs to victory.

The Browns’ defensive line must play better to end the season. Players are playing for their futures in the league. They’ll have a chance to redeem themselves against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to end the year.

Dud: OC Ken Dorsey

Head coach Kevin Stefanski gave up the play calling earlier this year for the first time in his Cleveland career. The head coach delegated the decisions to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. Dorsey’s first six weeks of play-calling went well. He unlocked quarterback Jameis Winston and helped tap into wide receiver Jerry Jeudy’s potential.

The Chiefs had Dorsey’s number on Sunday. The coach looked lost against the Kansas City defense. The Chiefs ran their scheme, utilizing unorthodox blitzes to make quarterbacks second-guess the coverage. The pressure destroyed Winston as he played his worst game of the season.

The playcalling did nothing to help alleviate the problems Winston saw. The Browns didn’t give the quarterback many hot reads. The team tried to beat the blitz by blocking it and letting a few receivers run down the field. Unfortunately, the Chiefs were able to cover those receivers with multiple defenders.

The worst play Dorsey called was the failed pivotal fourth-and-one. The team lined up in the shotgun with Jeudy detached in the backfield before failing to gain a yard. The Browns should’ve kept it simple and used their short-yardage quarterback on a sneak.

Dorsey needs to finish the season on a high note. Stefanski could retake the reins of the offense in the 2025 season. Dorsey must impress the organization in the last few games if he wants to call plays next season.

Dud: QB Jameis Winston

Jameis Winston had one of the worst games in his career against the Kansas City Chiefs. The team relied heavily on the quarterback, and he let the unit down. The Browns called over thirty pass plays for Winston over three quarters. Winston was sacked on five plays, threw three interceptions, and threw less than 150 yards.

The Browns didn’t do much to help Winston, but he needed to help himself. Winston must stay composed in these difficult games. The moment Winston throws an interception he shells up. Winston is a very temperamental player. Winston is an incredibly talented player with a long career ahead of him. However, he needs to remain in control after making mistakes.

This game signaled the likely end of Winston’s career in Cleveland. Winston was benched for second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Winston is a free agent at the end of the season. Hopefully, the Browns will bring him back. I think Winston is a good quarterback who would strongly benefit from Stefanski’s stoic coaching style.

Dud: Special Teams

Special teams have been the biggest failure for the Browns this season. The unit’s lack of success is largely blamed on Dustin Hopkins’s inability to make field goals. On Sunday, he was a healthy scratch yet the unit still stinks. Replacement kicker Riley Patterson didn’t get an opportunity to show off his leg.

The Browns’ failures on special teams were caused by their inability to return punts. The Browns lost primary punt returner Jaelon Darden two weeks ago when they replaced him with Kadarius Toney. Toney was immediately cut following a disastrous game where he fumbled a return. The Browns moved back to James Proche II this weekend. Proche’s only return of the game was a fumble in the first quarter that set the Chiefs up in the red zone. Proche called a fair catch for the rest of the game.

The Browns desperately need to churn the bottom of their roster to create a more competitive environment for their special teams unit. The Browns have three games left to audition young players on special teams.

Dud: S Rodney McLeod Jr.

Rodney McLeod Jr. had a poor game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs managed to isolate McLeod on some of their best weapons. McLeod gave up two touchdowns against the Chiefs.

The Chiefs caught McLeod being too aggressive against the play-action pass on the first touchdown. The defender bought hard on a run fake and didn’t follow the receiver running across the formation. The Chiefs scored an easy touchdown as a result.

McLeod gave up a second touchdown in a tough matchup against speedster Xavier Worthy. Worthy received a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage and McLeod took a bad angle underneath a blocker instead of respecting Worthy’s speed by going over the top. The refs ruled that the pass was behind the line of scrimmage and was technically a run play.

McLeod is an experienced veteran playing his last games in the NFL. McLeod contemplated retirement last season before returning to the Browns for a final playoff run. Unfortunately, the safety witnessed a disappointing Browns’ season. The veteran has three games left to help the Browns’ safeties take the next step in their careers.

This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Studs and Duds from Browns’ disappointing loss to the Chiefs