The only concern for the Chiefs in the final minutes on Sunday was Patrick Mahomes’ ankle.
Mahomes threw two touchdown passes before limping off the field with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Xavier Worthy also ran for a score, and Kansas City went on to win 21-7 over the Cleveland Browns, who made too many mistakes.
Mahomes connected for touchdowns in the first half with Juju Smith-Schuster and Noah Gray, helping the Chiefs (13-1) build a 21-0 lead. The second half was messy, but the Chiefs still secured the win.
The defending Super Bowl champions have now won 10 games by seven points or fewer, with six of those wins coming on the final play of the game.
Mahomes didn’t finish the game after being tackled by Dalvin Tomlinson on a fourth-down incompletion, which caused his ankle to get rolled up. Carson Wentz replaced him for the final 5:23 of the game. Mahomes finished with 159 yards, completing 19 of 38 passes.
After the game, Mahomes said that X-rays on his ankle came back negative. He mentioned he would have tried harder to stay in the game if the Browns had closed the gap to one score.
“We’ll get into the rehab part, the treatment part and try to get back on a short week,” Mahomes said, noting that the Chiefs play again on Saturday — part of a stretch of three games in 11 days. “With all the adrenaline from the game, it’s hard to tell now (if he can play). Usually, it’s the day after when you get a good sense of it.”
Before Wentz took over, Mahomes had his left ankle re-taped on the bench. He walked off the field gingerly, but did not seem to favor the ankle while in the locker room or during his postgame press conference. He was driven to the team’s buses on a cart.
Coach Andy Reid was relieved to know Mahomes wasn’t seriously injured.
“It’s not broken, that’s all I can tell you,” Reid said. “We’ll have to see how it goes down the road.”
The Browns (3-11) tried to put up a fight but had six turnovers. Cleveland’s only major highlight was a 62-yard touchdown run by Jerome Ford. Other than that, the Browns made too many mistakes to keep up with the Chiefs.
Jameis Winston threw three interceptions, including two in the end zone, which added to his total of eight interceptions in the last three games. The Browns also had two fumbles, making it easier for the Chiefs.
Cleveland running back Nick Chubb suffered a broken foot, adding to the injuries he faced after a serious knee injury last season.
Winston was replaced by second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson after his third interception. Coach Kevin Stefanski did not commit to a starter for next week.
“You cannot turn the ball over six times and expect to win,” Stefanski said. “At any level.”
Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy had 11 catches for 108 yards, reaching over 1,000 yards for the season.
The Chiefs’ second touchdown — a 6-yard pass from Mahomes to Gray with 4:46 left in the first half — came right after Browns defensive end Myles Garrett left the field with what appeared to be an eye injury.
Garrett was rushing Mahomes and being blocked by Chiefs left tackle Joe Thuney when he suddenly stopped.
The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year grabbed his face mask, pulled off his helmet, and threw it away before collapsing on the field. He lay face down for several minutes before being helped off.
Garrett walked toward the locker room holding a towel to his face, but Thuney came over and patted him on the back. Garrett returned shortly and finished the game. “Thank God, he’s OK,” Stefanski said.
The Chiefs took a 21-0 lead early in the third quarter after Winston threw an interception that went off Chubb’s hands. The Chiefs capitalized on the turnover, with Worthy taking a pitch from Mahomes, running around the corner, and scoring.
Kansas City’s first touchdown came after Cleveland’s first turnover. Following a three-and-out on the Chiefs’ first possession, Cleveland’s James Proche II fumbled a punt return, and the Chiefs recovered the ball at the 21-yard line. Mahomes then connected with Smith-Schuster for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 12:12 left in the first quarter.
