Written by Jonathan Knight

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Useless nuggets of information from Sunday’s Browns game that you can certainly live without…

EVEN STEVEN: The loss to the Chiefs on Sunday knots up the most equally balanced all-time series in Browns history. Kansas City and Cleveland have played 22 times in the past 40 years: the Browns have won 10, the Chiefs have won 10, and they’ve tied twice. 

SEVEN-YEAR  ITCH: This was the Chiefs’ first win over the Browns since 2003 following narrow victories by Cleveland in 2006 and 2009. It was Kansas City’s first win in Cleveland since the Helmet Bowl in the 2002 opener. 

PATHETIC SECOND HALF: The Browns offense was on fire in the first half, rolling up 244 total yards (an average of 27.1 yards per possession and 6.1 yards per play), including 187 through the air. In the second half, they accumulated a pitiful total of just 55 yards – an average of 13.8 yards per possession and 3.1 yards per play. They had just one play longer than 10 yards in the final two quarters, and – how’s this for fun, friends and neighbors – in the second half they accumulated more penalty yards (40) than passing yards (39). 

DOUBLE WHAMMY: On Sunday afternoon, as the Browns blew an early lead and lost to Kansas City, the Indians were busy blowing a lead and losing to Kansas City. In Missouri, the Indians grabbed an early 3-0 advantage before crumbling in the middle innings and losing, 6-4. Interestingly, in recent years the Browns and Indians have shared common opponents on the same day . On Sept. 27 last year the Indians buried the Baltimore Orioles in Cleveland while the Browns were emasculated by the Ravens in Baltimore. On Sept. 23, 2007, the Indians beat the Oakland Athletics at Jacobs Field to clinch the Central Division title, while a few hours later the Browns lost a heartbreaker on the road to the Oakland Raiders. 

BETTER, BUT...: Seneca Wallace’s performance wasn’t ideal, but it showed marked improvement over Jake Delhomme’s stinker in Tampa. Wallace’s quarterback rating was 73.2, 14 points higher than Delhomme’s in Week One. 

SEPTEMBER SWOON: Since 2003, the Browns hold a record of 6-20 in September games. The last time they carried a winning record into October was 2001.

A BIG DIFFERENCE: When the Browns and Chiefs played last December, Jerome Harrison rolled up 286 rushing yards on 34 carries with three touchdowns. Things were a smidge different on Sunday as Harrison collected a mere 33 yards on 16 carries. If you’re scoring at home, that’s a difference of 6.1 yards per carry.

OH-AND-US, TOO:  This marks the third straight season the Browns have started 0-2 and the sixth time they’ve done so since their rebirth. Their best final record among those six campaigns was 5-11 (2003 and 2009). The worst was 2-14 (1999). Only twice in team history have the Browns started 0-2 and finished the season with a winning record – 1967 (9-5) and 1980 (11-5). It’s worth noting (or nothing) that both of those teams won their respective divisions.

HOME NOT SO SWEET HOME: While the Browns’ struggles in their first home game of the season since their 1999 rebirth have been well-documented, they’re really just the continuation of a trend. Since 1980, the Browns enjoy a paltry record of 6-22 in home openers.

EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFTS: You’d think giving up defensive touchdowns in back-to-back games would be a rarity, yet with our Browns, it’s an annual tradition. The last time it happened was less than a year ago: against Chicago on Nov. 1, Derek Anderson threw a pick to Charles Tillman that was returned 21 yards for a touchdown, and then the following week against the Ravens in Cleveland, Dawan Landry intercepted Brady Quinn and returned it 48 yards for a score.

HOW THEY RANK: After two games, the Browns offense remains in the top half of the league and the best statistically in the AFC North, ranking 13^th at 5.4 yards per play. Believe it or not, their defense actually ranks higher at No. 9, allowing 4.7 yards per play. The bad news: Baltimore and Pittsburgh’s defenses are ranked second and third, respectively.