Four Takeaways From the Chiefs' 33-32 Win Over the Browns
The Kansas City Chiefs closed out their 2023 preseason on Saturday afternoon, and their outing against the Cleveland Browns brought a little bit of everything to the table.
After finding themselves down 22-3 at the end of the first quarter and 29-16 at halftime due to multiple self-inflicted mistakes, Andy Reid's bunch came out of the halftime locker room with revenge on its mind. Storming back in the third quarter to take a 30-29 lead, the reigning Super Bowl champions displayed a great deal of fight.
The Browns answered with a fourth-quarter field goal to recapture the lead, which they held until just inside the two-minute warning. Given one last chance to win the game, Cleveland drove deep into Kansas City territory but missed a 43-yard field goal attempt with under a minute left. The Chiefs then secured the win, their second of the preseason to rise to and finish 2-1.
Here are four takeaways from Saturday's game.
1. Justyn Ross should be viewed as a roster lock
Entering the preseason, there was no Chiefs player garnering more buzz than wide receiver Justyn Ross. Part of that was an ode to the jobs he did during the offseason program and the early portion of training camp, with the rest stemming from folks pointing to his unique profile and upside. Now, just a few short weeks later, the former Clemson standout has delivered some solid performances when given in-game opportunities. Saturday's game against the Browns was no different.
While Ross caught just two passes for 12 yards in the first half, his second snag was a highlight-level touchdown on the left side of the end zone. Ross gained significant separation on multiple plays, regardless of whether the ball was thrown his way, and also spent a good chunk of time working kickoff and kickoff return coverage. When the Chiefs cut down the rest of their team to 53 players in the coming days, don't expect to see Ross's name unless it's listed with those who snuck through to the finalized roster.
2. La'Mical Perine's stock is trending way up
When the Chiefs snatched former Tulsa running back Deneric Prince off the undrafted free agent market, it caught the eyes of many. In the ensuing weeks and months, the hype train only picked up more and more steam as the rookie flashed upside as a pass-catcher during organized team activities (OTAs) and training camp. Despite that, in addition to some good runs in the second half against Cleveland, his stock has taken a nosedive of sorts this preseason and 25-year-old La'Mical Perine has taken advantage of it.
Perine, who displayed good burst and toughness in the Chiefs' first couple of preseason outings, toted the ball four times for 32 yards in the first half of Saturday's game. He also caught three passes for 44 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown that showcased his elusiveness. There's a good chance that Kansas City will carry four running backs into the season. With Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire likely locked into spots, Perine probably has the inside edge on being the final halfback in the room.
3. The backup quarterback battle reached its peak
Throughout Patrick Mahomes's entire tenure as the Chiefs' starting quarterback, he's had a veteran behind him as the second-string man on the depth chart. Blaine Gabbert was expected to be the shoo-in for that gig when he signed with Kansas City in the spring, but this preseason saw Shane Buechele legitimately challenge him for the job. Reid acknowledged so earlier this week, praising both of his main reserve quarterbacks. It's expected that both Gabbert and Buechele will make the initial 53-man roster. With that said, one may have separated from the other on Saturday.
Starting the game, Buechele completed just eight of his 17 pass attempts and threw a pair of interceptions. One wasn't directly his fault, although that still doesn't salvage his afternoon. Gabbert was far from perfect on his 18 attempts in the second and third quarters, but he made better reads and also tossed two touchdowns while posting a 101.4 passer rating in the process. The 33-year-old came into the preseason as the prohibitive favorite for the backup job, and it's this writer's estimation that he's secured that role with his performance even with Buechele looking over his shoulder.
4. The real work spans over the next few days
The preseason undoubtedly matters for everyone involved, including veterans such as Mahomes who may not necessarily "need" the reps they receive. It's a prime opportunity for players, coaches and front office members alike to get in some quality work in advance of the regular season. For those who are on the outside looking in for the final roster, it's also the most important few weeks of their respective years.
With all three games now in the books, Reid and his staff must work with general manager Brett Veach and his peers to finalize a roster to carry into the team's season-opening contest against the Detroit Lions. The NFL's mandatory roster cutdown deadline is on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET, which doesn't leave the Chiefs a ton of time to trim all the way down to 53 players and a 16-man practice squad. Some tough decisions will be made in the near future, and those may be even more stressful than the games themselves.
