The Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs both have high hopes for the 2021 season and, after meeting in the playoffs, they’ll clash in Week 1.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns are both out for revenge after what took place at the end of last year. And they’ll enter the 2021 season with high hopes while also coming at odds in Week 1.
Cleveland has a score to settle with Kansas City after Chad Henne’s late first down sent Arrowhead Stadium into a frenzy and the upstart Browns home for the offseason.
In contrast, Kansas City is hoping to avenge the disaster of Super Bowl LV where they were denied the glory of potentially becoming back-to-back champions against Tom Brady and his new squad in Tampa Bay.
Both teams, however, have gotten better in the offseason — and it just may help their chances.
Cleveland’s defense needed help in the biggest way possible, and so they went out and signed Jadeveon Clowney. At first glance, it’s common to shake your head and ask what this will do. However, Clowney has been exceptional against the run and Cleveland has sorely lacked a presence in that field. Additionally, they signed a versatile safety in John Johnson III and drafted linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
Kansas City, on the other hand? Let’s just say the Super Bowl woke them up and told them to sign some offensive linemen. Trading for Orlando Brown Jr., signing Joe Thuney and Austin Blythe, bringing Kyle Long out of retirement, and drafting Creed Humphrey should fit the bill nicely.
Both the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl contenders, and Week 1 is where it all begins.
In the AFC, Kansas City reigns atop, but all that can change in the blink of an eye if everyone else gets better themselves. In fairness to Andy Reid and the Chiefs, they did upgrade their trenches, and the old mantra of whoever wins the line of scrimmage will win the game is alive and kicking. There is a clear expectation that their improvements can help translate to better success on the field and help quarterback Patrick Mahomes avoid running for his life ever again.
The same can be said for Cleveland, who does have a terrific offensive line and a vastly improved defense that struggled in several spots last season, including against the Steelers in the Wild Card game, which they won quite handily. But paper squads don’t equate to rings. It just creates expectations that sometimes may not be lived up to. Thankfully for Cleveland, head coach Kevin Stefanski gets it, and he’ll have his guys ready.
But the journey doesn’t end in Week 1; both teams will still have 16 more games. And given the AFC’s strength, positioning in the playoffs is extremely important, unlike in the past where a single team is expected to be the last one standing. Week 1 is always an exciting time, and you can’t find a better matchup than this.