CLEVELAND — During the final minutes of the game on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs faced a crucial situation: the health of their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes delivered an impressive performance, throwing two touchdown passes before leaving the game with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs ultimately defeated the Cleveland Browns 21-7, capitalizing on a series of turnovers by their opponents.
In the first half, Mahomes connected with Juju Smith-Schuster and Noah Gray for touchdown passes, helping the Chiefs (now 13-1) establish a 21-0 lead. However, the second half turned into a struggle, with both teams facing challenges.
Mahomes’ exit came after he was tackled, resulting in a rolled ankle. Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz stepped in for the remaining 5:23 of the game, as Mahomes completed 19 of 38 passes for 159 yards.
Post-game, Mahomes shared that X-rays on his ankle were negative, saying, ‘We’ll get into the rehab part, the treatment part and try to get back on a short week.’ He acknowledged the difficulty in assessing his injury immediately after an intense game, adding, ‘Usually, it’s the day after when you get a good sense of it.’
Coach Andy Reid expressed relief that Mahomes’ injury was not more severe, stating, ‘It’s not broken, that’s all I can tell you. We’ll have to see how it goes down the road.’
The Browns (3-11) struggled throughout the game, committing six turnovers including three interceptions from quarterback Jameis Winston, who was ultimately replaced after a series of mistakes.
In addition to injuries on the field, the Browns faced a significant setback with running back Nick Chubb sustaining a broken foot, following a previous knee injury that hampered his last season.
Despite the struggles, Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy notably achieved 11 catches for 108 yards, marking his season over 1,000 yards.
The Chiefs added to their score after a Cleveland turnover led to a touchdown run by Xavier Worthy, solidifying their lead.
As the game continued, defensive highlights included a notable play where Myles Garrett left the field due to an eye injury, yet he returned to the game shortly after.
This victory for the Chiefs keeps them in prime playoff contention, demonstrating their resilience even when faced with injury challenges.
