BREAKING: 7 winners and 4 losers from the Chiefs’ win over the Browns

Which Kansas City players caught our attention in Week 15’s victory over Cleveland?

Well… the Kansas City Chiefs’ 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns wasn’t close, so we’ve got that going for us.

And it was a fairly entertaining game to watch. There was a boatload of turnovers (none by the Chiefs) and some offensive fireworks — and Kansas City improved to 13-1 with a two-score win.

But coming out of the game, there is concern about the Chiefs’ pass protection — and now, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ right ankle.

Here are a few players who stood out as Kansas City’s defense defense outshone both offenses in Cleveland.

Winners

Cornerback Trent McDuffie: It felt pre-determined. The All-Pro cornerback with no career interceptions had to get his first one against Browns’ quarterback Jameis Winston. McDuffie made a tremendous effort in the end zone, turning around to pull in the ball while being bent backwards. McDuffie also had a huge tackle-for-loss and three other passes defended.

EDGE George Karlaftis: On Sunday, we saw why the Chiefs took the Purdue defensive end in the first round. He hustled his way to two sacks and three total quarterback hits. He’s relentless in his pursuit of quarterbacks — and he was due for a payoff. Now with three sacks in the last two games, is he poised to go on a run to finish the season in double digits again?

Linebacker Leo Chenal: The third-year player does so many different things for this team, it’s insane. Whether he’s covering a kick, chasing a quarterback or throwing a running back like a rag doll, Chenal’s strength and athleticism pop off the screen. Cleveland running back Nick Chubb is probably relieved that Chenal’s fumble-inducing punch landed on the football instead of him. Honorable mention to Nick Bolton, who was once again great while attacking the quarterback and the line of scrimmage.

Safety Jaden Hicks: The more playing time he gets, the more the rookie finds himself around the football. Chamarri Conner left Sunday’s game with a concussion; there’s a chance he’s going to miss some time. Either way, Hicks’ opportunities seem to be on the rise — as evidenced by the interception that helped end Sunday’s game. He also had a tackle-for-loss and a pass defended — and the coaching staff has been talking about his coverage ability.

Left tackle Joe Thuney: It was the most daunting task I can think of for a left guard: sliding out to left tackle for a full game against All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. While he wouldn’t be denied — Garrett hit Mahomes three times and was disruptive all afternoon —Thuney did enough to give the offense a chance. I’ll argue to my grave that it’s not a long-term solution — but Thuney made a tremendous effort that made a difference.

Defensive tackle Chris Jones: Even though he didn’t record a sack, I think we should give Jones plenty of credit for the pass rush. The team racked up five sacks and 11 quarterback hits — and Jones was right in the mix all day. He hit Winston three times, had a tackle for loss in the running game and (as usual) drew the attention of the offensive line — which freed his teammates to make plays.

Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: The Chiefs continue to force-feed their first-round pick. On Sunday, he had 11 targets and three carries. Worthy produced 76 yards and a touchdown. He still needs to be more efficient — there were a couple of big plays left on the field when he and Mahomes weren’t on the same page — but he’s becoming a good all-around receiver who will have a big role in the playoffs. Honorable mention for DeAndre Hopkins, who catches everything.

Losers

Wide receiver Justin Watson: He’s seen his role decrease as the rest of the wide receiver room steps up. On Sunday, Mahomes decided to fling a deep pass to Watson while he was well-covered. Surely, thought Mahomes, if they didn’t complete the pass, they’d get a pass interference call. Well, they did — but it was on Watson.

Cornerback Joshua Williams: We’ll learn more about his coverage game from the rewatch, but it felt like an up-and-down game for Williams — especially when matched up against Cleveland wideout Jerry Jeudy. It’s the two penalties (illegal contact and face mask) that land Williams on this list. They helped to extend a couple of Browns drives. Dishonorable mention goes to Nazeeh Johnson, who in a decreased role dropped an interception and gave up some plays.

Offensive tackles Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia: Rather than to trust its two Day 2 picks, Kansas City preferred to go with two offensive guards playing out of position on the left side. It can’t be a good sign for Morris and Suamataia — but then again, it might have been worse for them to face Garrett.