Revived Chiefs pin second loss on Browns

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Moments before the game’s climactic play, Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel looked around the huddle and saw only confidence in the eyes of his excited teammates.

These Chiefs believe.

Two wins in one week has changed them.

Brandon Flowers returned an interception for a touchdown, Ryan Soccup kicked three field goals and Kansas City running back Thomas Jones vaulted for a late first down on a fourth-down gamble by coach Todd Haley, giving the Chiefs a 16-14 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

A feeble four-win squad last season, the Chiefs who also knocked off AFC West champion San Diego last week, are 2-0 for the first time since 2005.

“Two-and-0 in the NFL is hard to do,” said Jones, who catapulted over the line to pick up the game-clinching first down with two minutes left. “But we can’t rest.”

Despite a short work week to prepare for the Browns (0-2), the Chiefs were able to make just enough big plays to squeak by. Last season, Kansas City didn’t get its second win until Nov. 15.

Kansas City also learned its lessons from a 41-34 loss to Cleveland last December, when Browns running back Jerome Harrison ran wild for 286 yards — third most in NFL history — and Browns return specialist Joshua Cribbs returned two kickoffs for TDs.

Harrison was held to 33 yards on 16 carries, and the Chiefs angled kicks away from Cribbs, who did burn them for a 65-yard TD reception from Seneca Wallace.

Wallace started in place of Jake Delhomme, who injured his right ankle last week in his debut for the Browns (0-2), a 17-14 loss at Tampa Bay. Wallace finished 16 of 31 for 229 yards, but one of his attempts in the second quarter was run back for a TD by Flowers.

“It was a bad, bad decision by me,” Wallace said. “I’ll take responsibility for that.”

Clinging to their 2-point lead, the Chiefs were faced with a 4th-and-inches at the Cleveland 36 with two minutes left. During the two-minute warning, Haley decided that instead of punting and perhaps pinning the Browns deep, he would go for it.

And when the call came in from Kansas City’s sideline, Cassel and his teammates were thrilled.

“I was absolutely all for that play,” said Cassel, who finished 16 of 28 for 176 yards and two interceptions. Jones took the handoff from Cassel and leaped over a pile of humanity.

The Browns weren’t convinced Jones got the necessary yardage.

“The refs gave him the spot,” end Robaire Smith. “We’ve got to do a better job and not put ourselves in that situation.”

Cleveland’s 0-2 start is not what coach Eric Mangini or president Mike Holmgren had in mind.

The Browns were hoping to build off the momentum of a four-game winning streak — that saved Mangini’s job — to end last season, but two close losses in two weeks and too many penalties — the Browns had nine — have Cleveland already in trouble with a tough schedule ahead.

Browns kicker Phil Dawson also missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt.