Patrick Mahomes rallied Kansas Metropolis with two fourth-quarter landing passes because the Chiefs launched their season with an exhilarating 33-29 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
The Chiefs, who’re attempting to get to a 3rd straight Tremendous Bowl after successful all of it in 2020 and falling to Tampa Bay final season, trailed all day in entrance of dwelling followers at Arrowhead Stadium, the place quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Browns took a 29-20 lead within the remaining interval earlier than Mahomes unleashed his magic.
With 10:10 left to play, Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for a 75-yard landing that minimize the deficit to 2 factors.
Barely greater than three minutes later, Mahomes fired an eight-yard TD go to Travis Kelce to place the Chiefs up for the primary time at 33-29.
“You like his perspective as a result of he all the time seems like we’re in it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned of Mahomes. “He does such an excellent job with the blokes round him.
“He’s an excellent communicator throughout robust instances on the sideline.”
Whereas their two-point conversion try failed, the Chiefs had been nonetheless capable of maintain on for the win.
The Chiefs outscored the Browns 23-7 within the second half. Mahomes completed with 337 yards on 27 of 36 passing with three TDs.
Reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers’ season, in the meantime, acquired off to a rocky begin.
The veteran Inexperienced Bay quarterback, who mulled retirement within the offseason earlier than opting to return to the Packers regardless of a rift with the crew, endured the worst margin of defeat in his NFL profession in a 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Rodgers threw for under 133 yards and two interceptions earlier than Jordan Love, the crew’s first-round draft decide in 2020, took over within the fourth quarter of the blowout loss.
“We performed unhealthy. I performed unhealthy,” Rodgers mentioned, however added: “One sport. We’ve acquired 16 to go.”
The Saints didn’t miss a beat as they performed their first sport since quarterback Drew Brees retired. They had been additionally enjoying their would-be dwelling opener in Jacksonville, Florida, due to injury from Hurricane Ida in Louisiana.
Saints quarterback Jameis Winston threw 5 landing passes and mentioned the win was for followers again in New Orleans nonetheless struggling within the aftermath of Ida.
“That was for the town,” Winston mentioned. “We did that for them. We knew how a lot it will imply to get an excellent victory for that area.”
Elsewhere, Trevor Lawrence’s NFL profession acquired off to a dropping begin because the Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a season-opening 37-21 mauling by the Houston Texans.
Lawrence, the No. 1 decide in the newest draft and one of the extremely rated faculty quarterbacks in years, was intercepted thrice because the Jaguars had been outplayed by a Texans lineup lacking DeShaun Watson, who’s battling sexual assault allegations.
With Watson sidelined, it was left to Texans backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor to guide the AFC South facet to a cushty win.
Taylor threw for 291 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Lawrence, in the meantime, completed with three landing passes and 332 yards.
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