National Football League

Will the Browns give Kansas City a run for its money in Week 1?

Published Sep. 11, 2021 2:49 p.m. ET

On the first NFL Sunday of the season, two of the league's top teams are going head-to-head to kick things off – and one of them is from Cleveland.

The Cleveland Browns start their season on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs, as Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes face off in one of the biggest games of Week 1.

The Chiefs are coming off a 14-2 season in which they won the AFC West and advanced all the way to Super Bowl LV before falling to Tampa Bay. The two-time defending AFC champions are headed into 2021 with a bevy of new talent and high-profile free-agent additions.

And of course, Mahomes.

The Browns finished 11-5 last season, good for third in the AFC North, and added a slew of new players on defense, including big-name veterans such as Jadeveon Clowney and John Johnson III.

As far as offense goes, Cleveland is pushing ahead with mostly the same unit that hit its stride in the second half of the 2020 season, with Mayfield at the helm.

The last time these two teams met was in last season's divisional round, with Kansas City narrowly winning 22-17.

While the Browns appear to be a team on the rise, are they a real threat to challenge the Chiefs on Sunday and beyond?

If you ask Nick Wright, it's a hard no.

On Friday's "First Things First," Wright explained why he is confident that Mahomes will lead the Chiefs to victory, even saying that it won't be a close game.

"I think the Browns are gonna come into Arrowhead and get their teeth kicked in, and it's gonna be a good measuring stick for them to see how far they have to come. I think the Chiefs are gonna win by double digits. … It'll be ugly cause you have a motivated, angry, healthy, loaded Chiefs team.

"I think the Browns are the second-best team in the conference, but it's a big gap. … I don't think it'll be a compelling game."

Nick Wright: Baker and Browns don't have a blueprint for Mahomes and Chiefs I FIRST THINGS FIRST

There is also that Mahomes guy to take into consideration.

In Mahomes' career, the 25-year-old is undefeated in September (10-0) with a 67.6% completion percentage and 124.4 passer rating. He has thrown 32 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the month.

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However, on the other side of the fence was Wright's co-host Chris Broussard, who isn't convinced it'll be that easy for Kansas City.

Broussard said that Sunday's matchup between these two powerhouse squads will be a lot like what we saw on Thursday night between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys.

"Everybody is more prepared to play the Chiefs. … The Browns are gonna play them tough. I think that'll be the statement, but they won't beat them."

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The 26-year-old Mayfield – who some think is the most underrated player in the league – made major improvements last season. His completion percentage, efficiency under pressure and touchdown passes spiked while his number of interceptions dropped.

Will it be enough to secure the W in both teams' opener?

If the Browns want to make a statement that they're a real threat to the Chiefs this season, Sunday would be a good place to start.

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