Up for the job Browns’ Mayfield plays like starter in win
CLEVELAND — The beer-fueled bash spilled into the streets around First Energy Stadium as delirious Cleveland Browns fans walked — some staggered — while chanting for their new hero, the streak-buster.
“Ba-ker! May-field!” they screamed.
They’ve named their new starting quarterback, even if coach Hue Jackson isn’t quite there yet.
Jackson said he isn’t ready to “officially” identify his starter for next week’s road game against the Oakland Raiders, but all signs point to Mayfield taking over in Cleveland after his dazzling NFL debut Thursday night.
The No. 1 pick in this year’s draft replaced concussed starter Tyrod Taylor late in the first half and led the Browns (1-1-1) on four scoring drives as they erased a two-touchdown deficit to win 21-17 against the New York Jets (1-2) and end Cleveland’s winless streak at 19 games, which was the NFL’s second-longest drought since 1970.
Jackson simply seems to be delaying the inevitable: Mayfield’s the guy.
If Jackson doesn’t pick the celebrated and uber-confident rookie, he won’t have to jump in Lake Erie again, as he did this summer to fulfill a promise for better results he made in advance of last season’s 1-15 finish. Browns fans will throw him in, because this decision appears to be a no-brainer.
The coach gave his players the weekend off, but he wants to watch more video and speak with his staff and general manager John Dorsey before making a decision Mayfield seems to have made for him.
Although Jackson wouldn’t publicly say Mayfield is his new starter, he gave strong indication he’s leaning that way by telling reporters on a conference call, “I think that you guys all feel good about where things are headed.”
Out of respect for Taylor, who is in concussion protocol with his third head injury in 13 months, Jackson wants to tell his two quarterbacks his decision in person Monday before sharing it with the world.
Cleveland’s plan was to bring Mayfield along slowly and groom him under Taylor, who helped the Buffalo Bills end their long playoff drought last season. Taylor’s injury and his struggles in three starts — he’s 41-of-84 passing for 462 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions — have altered the Browns’ strategy.
Even before he was knocked from Thursday’s game, Cleveland’s offense was going nowhere with Taylor, who was 4-of-14 for 19 yards and was sacked three times. Jackson, though, sidestepped addressing whether he was going to pull Taylor at halftime.
Mayfield’s first regular-season game as a pro couldn’t have gone much better. He completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards and was sacked once. His stats could have been more impressive if not for normally sure-handed receiver Jarvis Landry dropping one pass and rookie Antonio Callaway letting a long throw down the sideline slip through his hands.
“He made some tremendous throws,” Jackson said. “Obviously, he was able to move the team. Played with some rhythm. Got the ball into the playmakers’ hands and gave them chances to make plays. There are some things that he has to clean up, obviously. We can’t have the ball out on the ground. There are some progression things that we will work through.
“Overall for his first game out under the lights in that environment in that situation, he handled all of that extremely well and played well.”
Most impressively, Mayfield did it on a short work week and without taking any snaps in practice with Cleveland’s first-team offense. When he surprised the Jets by catching a 2-point conversion pass from Landry in the third quarter, it was the first time he had ever run the play.
Just as he did while winning the Heisman Trophy last season at Oklahoma, Mayfield elevated everyone around him, and in turn electrified 60,000 fans and a national TV audience.
“This one is definitely up there, being the first NFL game that I have played in,” he said. “First regular-season one that actually counts. It is definitely up there for me. I have had some great memories, but I am just getting started.”