Game overview:
Candidate for most entertaining preseason game of 2023.
The Chiefs sent QB Shane Buechele, with a few 1st-team pieces, out to battle the Browns 1st-team offense and defense...and a Browns fumble on the first series helped KC take a quick 3-0 lead. After another Browns’ 1st-team offensive stop by KC’s (mostly) 1st-team defense, Buechele threw a pick-six and the floodgates opened, leading to a Browns 22-3 1st-quarter lead.
The Chiefs then chopped away at the Browns lead, getting the game down to a one-score (22-16) Browns lead nearing halftime...but then a tipped pass pick-six again for Cleveland, and the Browns took a 29-16 lead into the half -- a lot of scoring for a preseason game, in general...and it was just halftime.
KC scored two TDs in the 3rd-quarter and went up 30-29. The Browns kicked a field goal with 4+ minutes left in the game to go up 32-30. KC answered with a field goal with 1+ minute left to take back that lead 33-32. The Browns scrambled into scoring position with little time remaining...and they lined up for 43-yard FG, but a KC defender got a finger on the kicked ball and sent it careening away for a miss and a KC victory.
Two team overview things I will take away from this game:
1) The Browns have looked the part this preseason on tape and on paper...great O-Line, decent QB, revived defense. It all made sense this preseason...until they faced the Chiefs’ 1st-team-ish units here. The Browns got over on KC’s 2nd/3rd-string QB some to take an early lead -- but Cleveland was playing this serious, while KC was really rotating players and working backup QBs, and you could see the Chiefs were just better...and they knew it...and Cleveland knew it...and walks away knowing it.
This was a cup of cold water thrown into the Browns’ faces. If only they had the Rams or Chargers on the schedule instead...then they could keep dreaming big dreams for 2023. This seemingly ‘who cares’ preseason game had to jolt the Browns...maybe for the good (a wake up call)...maybe for the bad going into Week 1 vs. ‘also elite’ Cincinnati.
2) The Chiefs are such a cohesive unit...no, they are a cohesive TEAM. A band of brothers, really, like no other team in the league I watch. Many teams are stoic or mildly into the preseason -- but the preseason games were a party for the Chiefs, in a good way. Credit Patrick Mahomes...the league’s top star was out in front in every preseason game cheering his teammates, engaged with all the players, setting the tone...and actually PLAYING in preseason games. The Chiefs are just ‘different’ than all the other top contenders.
Joe Burrow is M.I.A. in Cincy and they have terrible backup QBs, and each Bengals preseason game was a snooze.
Josh Allen and Sean McDermott are getting super uptight, and the Stefon Diggs thing is about to blow.
The 49ers have looked like a mess all preseason...the Lance/Darnold thing, kicker problems, getting smashed by other team’s backup problems. Something feels off in SF.
The Eagles have a little life to them in the preseason, as a team/unit, but running Marcus Mariota and Tanner McKee sucks a lot of life out of the team in preseason games. Philly seems focused and cohesive on the sidelines in preseason games with Jalen Hurts leading them...but it’s nothing like what KC shows.
Deshaun Watson and Kevin Stefanski are stoic...so the Browns are stoic, mostly.
Miami looks like it has some fun with Mike McDaniel, but Tua is not a leader among men...it’s a really good team with confidence, but deep-down unsure about Tua in the end. They need a Jonathan Taylor infusion to change the script to the next level in Miami...my opinion.
The Chiefs by contrast -- a ton of energy in preseason games...great depth all over the field...an almost collegiate atmosphere. And we all know Mahomes is great, but his greatness is multiplied by how he leads his team and his organization. I watched A LOT of the sideline activity in this game, for reasons that I will reveal in a moment -- and I was so impressed with what I saw compared to watching Carolina and silent, alone, statue Bryce Young and goof Frank Reich, and Bryce’s personal assistant and paid friend -- Josh McCown. That team knows they stink and the other 70+ players can see this is a monarchy -- it’s Reich-McCown-Young and everyone else can eat cake.
So, I was not shocked that KC’s 2nd-3rd-4th-string QBs battled with the Browns 1st-team and ultimately came from behind on the Browns backups.
Scouting Notes from the game:
-- So, the debut of Isiah Pacheco (1-0-0) happened...I was looking forward to it...but it happened totally unlike what I would have ever expected, and it sent me reeling for most of my Saturday.
Can’t I enjoy two seconds away from my post on the frontline? I took a nap around 1pm kickoff Saturday. Not a luxury nap...a necessity -- I got up at 4amET, after 3 hours sleep (my in-season norm), to work on the prior night’s game tape and reports. I just wanted to get a quick snooze refresher for my ‘2nd shift’ the rest of the day/night processing tape. I woke up from said nap to find Pacheco did debut, but didn’t start...he came into the game behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire (1 carry, -3 yards, 0-0-0/1)...and Jerick McKinnon (1-23-0/1). The third RB into the game for KC, on the 4th-snap of the game...and Pacheco got a carry for no yards (looked fine/normal, health and movement-wise) then then next play he was a pass play-action decoy/blocker...then he was gone. Just two snaps of action.
Wait...what? Why didn’t Pacheco start? I thought he was the unquestioned starter? He’s been listed as the #1 RB on every KC depth chart this year. He’s been out hurt...and he didn’t ‘lose’ his job for performance, and he wasn’t outplayed by anyone else that anyone could see.
What does this mean?
Does it mean anything?
Can’t I just live a normal life and not have to worry about these things? Can’t the preseason end quietly and we go focus on the regular season? Nope.
So, what does this Pacheco not starting mean?
I will answer that in a lengthy analysis for Subscribers on a special report...because Pacheco is the FFM universe’s #1 most owned player across all platforms, many beginning the journey on him as a 5th-round Dynasty Rookie Draft pick their league mates mocked/scoffed at.
So, let’s discuss it and then come back to this report to finish it out: 2023 NFL Preseason SUBSCRIBER EXTRA NOTES (Wk3): Chiefs 33, Browns 32
-- Welcome back subscribers, let’s do talk about the KC RBs some more...
You know who has earned his spot on the main roster, but I’m not sure if he will make the 53-man...the best RB in KC camp 2023 has been: La’Michal Perine (4-32-0, 3-44-1/3). Perine has looked fantastic this summer...shockingly, to me. He used to be so slow...but he’s had some juice infused into his body or something. He looks terrific. If he gets cut by KC...follow his journey because he will be some team’s #2/3 RB that they grab for free.
Perine has WAY outplayed UDFA rookie Deneric Prince (12-45-0), and that’s not a slam on Prince...it’s a compliment to the forgotten Perine brother, who like Samaje...has fought his way back to NFL relevance/usefulness.
-- Shane Buechele (8-17 for 89 yards, 1 TD/2 INTs) started his second preseason game in a row. Why that matters -- the backup to the Mahomes empire, in case of emergency, is important. Is that main backup now Buechele? I don’t think so. Not yet.
Buechele is showing some growth, but today Blaine Gabbert (10-18 for 169 yards, 2 TDs/1 INT) is more ready to go than Buechele. For a week or two, Gabbert...for a whole season emergency...they might try to grow with Buechele.
Either way, KC is cooked without Mahomes.
-- KC WR report...
Rookie Rashee Rice (3-29-0/6) dropped a couple key passes in this game...ones he has to catch...and ones that wouldn’t be as big a deal if there weren’t already some concerns on Rice’s hands (by me). I fear Rice is a non-contact practice star... If his time comes, it’s gonna be a year+ from now.
I saw my first Justyn Ross (2-12-1/6) ‘ain’t so bad’ moment here in this game -- they high pointed him a fade in the end zone, which he caught over the top for a TD. He could be useful in that way. I think he’s making the team, but not gonna be a real impact for FF 2023.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette (4-101-1/4) has booked two good games in a row, but I think he’s on the outside looking in for the 53-man. He’ll get scooped by another team if cut. He’s decent but inconsistent...and a little flaky.
-- The Browns also played in this game, since I haven’t mentioned them much yet...but they didn’t play all that well.
Deshaun Watson (5-10 for 92 yards, 1 TD/0 INT) did not look good here -- his first real threat/opposition in the preseason and he wilted. My great fear with him is -- he’s overrated, past time, fading. I talked myself into him for a decent 2023 season because he has a great O-Line. After watching this game...I am fading him again. He’s never been my guy, but I was buying into a solid 2023...until watching this. Same old, boring Deshaun/Stefanski combo that I fear.
This KC deep defense even made Dorian Thompson-Robinson (7-12 for 92 yards, 0 TD/0 INT) come back down to earth.
-- The Browns standout player for 2023 preseason...of course, it’s Right Tackle Dawand Jones. He came in with the 2nd-team and the snaps of his I focused on him...no sweat with any KC pass rusher. He’s so good...and so-not starting...it’s crazy what a luxury that is for the Browns.
-- IDP notes...
Browns rookie SAF Ronnie Hickman (7 tackles) continues to play really good ball this preseason. One of the best UDFAs of 2023. I think he will make the 53-man roster and he’ll be a backup to start 2023 and grow into a starter somewhere in 2024+.
Chiefs UDFA CB Kahlef Hailassie (3 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PD) looks like he belongs...to be developed...but he may have to be a secret stash on the practice squad because of the deep KC roster.
