26 August 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSNT)- The Chiefs beat the Browns in their final preseason game on Saturday.
The Chiefs finish the preseason 2-1 with the victory.
Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and several other Chiefs starters did not play. Running back Isiah Pacheco got action for the first time of the year after recovery from shoulder and hand surgery kept him out of the first two games.
The game featured both Jayhawks and Wildcats as Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Ekow Boye-Doe both represented Kansas State with the Cheifs. From KU, Daniel Wise played defensive line for the Chiefs and Lonnie Phelps did the same for the Browns.
The game began with a plethora of turnovers. The Browns fumbled to lose the ball on the game’s first possession. The Chiefs turned that into a field goal but turned the ball over via interceptions on each of their next two drives. The Browns got on the board with a pick-six from former Chief Juan Thornhill.
After all the first quarter chaos, the Chiefs trailed 22-3 at the end of the first quarter.
The Chiefs got their first touchdown of the game early in the second quarter on a three-yard touchdown pass from Shane Buechele to Justyn Ross.
La’Michal Perine scored the Chiefs second touchdown of the game with a 20-yard reception from Blaine Gabbert. The Chiefs did not convert on the 2-point conversion and trailed 22-16.
The Browns responded with their second pick-six of the game in the final minute of the first half. The Chiefs trailed 29-16 at halftime.
Kansas City’s backups came out strong in the second half. After both teams started with a three-and-out, Gabbert capped a nine-play Chiefs drive with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ihmir Smith-Marsette to make the score 29-23 Browns.
The defense came up big after that. Three plays in to Cleveland’s possession, Chiefs defensive back DiCaprio Bootle intercepted a pass, returning it to the Browns’ 16-yard-line.
Three plays later, the Chiefs found the endzone – and their first lead since 3-0 – with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Chris Oladokun to Matt Bushman. With the score, Kansas City led 30-29.
Both teams took turns punting, then Cleveland retook the lead on field goal to go up 32-20.
Oladokun took the Chiefs down the next possession, settling for a field goal, but giving Kansas City the lead back at 33-32 with 1:48 to play.
As time winded down, the Browns’ offense found itself in field goal range. With less than a minute left, the field goal attempt was blocked. The Chiefs’ offense ran out the clock, ending the game with a 33-32 victory.
Backup quarterbacks did ok in their final preseason game. Gabbert finished 10-18 for 169 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Buechele finished 8-17 for 89 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Oladokun finished 7-9 for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Smith-Marsette shined as a wide receiver with four catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. KU alum pass-rusher Daniel Wise finished with two tackles for a loss.
The Chiefs finish the preseason with a 2-1 record.
With the preseason over, Kansas City will prepare itself for the first game of the NFL season – a home game against the Lions on Thursday, Sept. 7.