Down 22-10 at the start of the third quarter, the Chiefs needed a big drive to get back in the game.
They got it — and then some. Dominating the third quarter, Kansas City has cut Cleveland’s lead down to 22-20.
Tight end Travis Kelce capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown reception for his first score of the season. Kansas City faced only one third down on the possession, converting it with a Patrick Mahomes 8-yard scramble to the right.
The Chiefs were going to run some sort of trick play on second-and-3 from the Cleveland 6-yard line, but a false start by receiver Tyreek Hill kept whatever they were going to do under wraps.
The Browns looked like they might roll down the field to another score, but running back Nick Chubb fumbled on a 4-yard run when moving into Chiefs territory.
Kansas City’s offense then converted a pair of third downs to set itself up in Cleveland territory, making it down to Cleveland’s 16. But a sack and a false start set up third-and-15 from the 25. Mahomes has made magic plenty of times in that situation, but his pass to Demarcus Robinson fell incomplete.
Harrison Butker’s 43-yard field goal narrowed Cleveland’s lead to 22-20 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter.