- Final0NE
BUF17
1017
10 - Final1ARI
DET31
2431
24 - Final OTOT2MIA
TEN24
2724
27 - Final3CLE
KC41
3441
34 - Final4HOU
STL16
1316
13 - Final5ATL
NYJ10
710
7 - Final6OAK
DEN20
1920
19 - Final7CIN
SD24
2724
27 - Final8SF
PHI13
2713
27 - Final9GB
PIT36
3736
37 - Final10TB
SEA24
724
7 - Final11CHI
BAL7
317
31 - Final12MIN
CAR7
267
26 - Final13IND
JAC35
3135
31 - Final14DAL
NO24
1724
17 - Final15NYG
WSH45
1245
12
Final
Coverage: CBS
1:00 PM ET, December 20, 2009
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Top Performers
Passing: M. Cassel (KC) - 331 YDS, 2 TD
Rushing: J. Harrison (CLE) - 34 CAR, 286 YDS, 3 TD
Receiving: C. Chambers (KC) - 5 REC, 114 YDS, 1 TD
Considering how poorly this season has gone for the Cleveland Browns, it's only fitting that their victory over the defending Super Bowl champions last week has been thoroughly overshadowed.
While no decision has been announced about bringing on Mike Holmgren to head the team's football operations, the Super Bowl-winning coach's two-day visit to Browns' headquarters has first-year coach Eric Mangini defending his team's progress.
Cleveland looks to win two in a row for the first time in more than a year Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, where it will face a Kansas City Chiefs team also struggling under its first-year coach.
Mired in their ninth losing season in 11 years, the Browns (2-11) and Mangini quieted their critics for one night with a 13-6 victory over Pittsburgh last Thursday.
"It means everything," wide receiver Josh Cribbs said after Cleveland snapped a seven-game slide and a 10-game home losing streak.
Despite the victory, questions about Mangini's methods and the team's struggles persist.
Browns owner Randy Lerner met with Holmgren on Monday and Tuesday to discuss bringing the former Green Bay and Seattle coach out of retirement.
Mangini, in an interview with a Cleveland radio station, said he had met with Holmgren during his visit.
"I have a ton of respect for Mike, and we'll see where it goes," Mangini said of Holmgren, who led three teams to the Super Bowl. "They are still in the early stages."
It's uncertain exactly what Holmgren's role would be if he joined the team, but Mangini remains confident in his performance and what he sees as improvements under his watch.
"They can sit down and talk to the coaches, sit in on any meeting, watch our practices," Mangini said following last Thursday's victory. "Come to our meetings. See how we teach. See how we function as a staff because it's good and it's right. Come take a look because it's a good product."
While it appears that Todd Haley's job is safe, the Chiefs coach is struggling to turn around a franchise that has gone 9-36 since its last playoff appearance in 2006.
"I don't have any doubt we're making progress," said Haley, a member of the New York Jets staff with Mangini from 1997-99. "It's tough when you look at the record and see that. I just go on what I see on a daily basis, during the game, after the game, certain responses by players, desire of the players to get better. We're making progress."
The Chiefs (3-10), though, lost their third straight Sunday, 16-10 to Buffalo.
A week after getting pulled in the fourth quarter of a 31-point loss to Denver, Matt Cassel threw a career-high four interceptions against the Bills -- two coming in the final 2:11.
"It's frustrating not to be winning," said Cassel, who has completed 54.6 percent of his passes for the Chiefs' 30th-ranked offense. "You come out and put so much hard work in each week and to not have the production all the time on Sunday and putting up the W's for the fans, us and everybody is frustrating."
The return of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe from a four-game drug suspension might alleviate some of Cassel's problems. Despite being sidelined since mid-November, Bowe leads Kansas City with 466 receiving yards and four TDs.
The Chiefs' Jamaal Charles rushed for a career-high 143 yards and scored on a 76-yard run Sunday. Charles could have another big day against a Browns defense ranked 29th in the league against the run.
Cleveland, meanwhile, got its first rushing TD from a running back this season on Chris Jennings' 10-yard run Sunday.
Brady Quinn, who has not thrown an interception in his last 145 passes, will try to lead the Browns and their 32nd-ranked offense to two straight wins for the first time since Sept. 28 and Oct. 13 of last season.
Cleveland defeated the visiting Chiefs 31-28 in overtime Dec. 3, 2006, in the last meeting.
Kansas City has won three straight at home in the series.
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Scouting Report
Browns-Chiefs: 10 observations
After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Browns-Chiefs matchup.
1. Cleveland running game improving: The Browns surprisingly were able to generate a little bit of a run game last week in their upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Look for Jerome Harrison to continue to get touches from the RB spot this week, as he has shown some much-needed speed and burst to get to the edge.
Recent Blog Posts
Matchup
CLE | KC | |
|---|---|---|
| W-L | 3-11 | 3-11 |
| Avg Points | 14.2 | 17.1 |
| Avg Points Allowed | 24.9 | 27.4 |
| Home Record | 1-5 | 1-7 |
| Road Record | 2-6 | 2-4 |
| Division Record | 1-5 | 1-4 |
| Conference Record | 3-7 | 2-8 |
| Complete Standings | ||
Passing Leaders
Rushing Leaders
| Cleveland | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T. Richardson | 267 | 950 | 3.6 | 11 | |
| M. Hardesty | 65 | 271 | 4.2 | 1 | |
| Kansas City | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | |
| J. Charles | 285 | 1509 | 5.3 | 5 | |
| P. Hillis | 85 | 309 | 3.6 | 1 | |
Team Averages & NFL Ranks
| TEAM OFFENSE | TEAM | PER GAME AVERAGE |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | CLE | |
| KC | ||
| Yards Passing | CLE | |
| KC | ||
| Yards Rushing | CLE | |
| KC | ||
| TEAM DEFENSE | TEAM | PER GAME AVERAGE |
| Yards Allowed | CLE | |
| KC | ||
| Pass Yds Allowed | CLE | |
| KC | ||
| Rush Yds Allowed | CLE | |
| KC |
Head to Head Matchups (Since 2001)
| Series tied 2-2 | |
|---|---|
| Dec 3, 2006 | CLE 31, KC 28 |
| Nov 9, 2003 | CLE 20, @KC 41 |
| Sep 8, 2002 | CLE 39, KC 40 |


