Mayfield offense face a real test
Rookie QB’s second start will be against NFL’s top-ranked defense.
Todd Haley laughed off Don “Wink” MarBEREA — tindale’s deep-end declaration that Baker Mayfield is “this generation’s John Elway or Brett Favre.”
“So he’s carving a bust?” the Browns’ offensive coordinator said, rolling his eyes at Thursday’s hyperbole from Baltimore’s defensive coordinator.
Martindale went on to tout Mayfield’s “confidence and swag,” adding, “This guy knows where he wants to go with the ball. He’s very accurate, with a quick release. He’s really playing well.”
Haley gave Martindale that much. He leaves no doubt the rookie No. 1 overall pick is “the man” in Cleveland now.
Mayfield’s second NFL start will be against the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense.
“This will really be a real test,” Haley said. “I’m really anxious to see how it plays out. We’ll know a lot more Sunday evening.”
Assorted glitches led to a 45-42 overtime loss at Oakland, but Haley said Mayfield was no confused rookie.
“Baker’s demeanor was great,” he said. “We don’t want a careless or reckless guy, and I didn’t see any of that.”
Haley blamed himself for one Mayfield inter-
ception.
“We added a double move to a play,” Haley said. “That’s not fair to do to a young guy.
“Somebody like Baker wants to score every play. He doesn’t want to check it down a whole bunch. I’ve been sick about that for a week.”
Mayfield completed 21 passes for 295 yards in addition to throwing 20 incompletions and two picks. Assorted receivers dropped nine passes.
“That was huge,” said Jarvis Landry, who flubbed Mayfield’s first pass of the day. “Myself included ... we lost a lot of hidden yardage. On some of those plays, we get a first down. One of them turned into an interception for a touchdown.” Haley’s take on the subject: “Drops are gonna happen, but nine is excessive. It was probably 100 or more yards. But we overcame.
“The mental stuff is what really got us, right down to the wire. The underlying issue for our group has been just doing what you’re supposed to do. The communication was very good. We need to get better at knowing what our job is on every play ... too many mental errors.”
Too little Nick Chubb? Haley smiled about the rookie back who scored on runs of 63 and 44 yards but got only one other carry. Starter Carlos Hyde ran 22 times for 82 yards.
Haley said his father, an NFL lifer, has talked to him many times about staying with the hot hand.
“If a guy’s averaging 50 yards a carry,” Haley said, “you better keep going to him.”
It isn’t that simple, he added. Hyde, who ranks sixth in the league with 285 rushing yards and is No. 1 with five rushing TDs, is a big back who gets stronger as games go along. Chubb and Duke Johnson are talented enough to have big roles.
“It’s not as easy as just saying, ‘These guys need these carries,’” Haley said. “It’s a fine line you’re walking.
“I’m excited about our backs. I’m excited at the way the line’s coming together.”
The Oakland game came down to a third-and-2 from the Browns’ 17 with 1:41 left. Hue Jackson did not consult with Haley, who has authority to call all the plays.
“I’m a guy who doesn’t want to hear a lot of voices (in that situation),” Haley said.
He called an inside run to Hyde. It resulted in what the Browns viewed as a fiasco; a first down was overturned.
“Nobody regretted anything we did in that situation,” Haley said. “To be an offense people talk about, you have to be able to run ball when the other team knows you’re going to run it.”
The Browns made two quick second-half turnovers and lost a 28-14 lead. Haley admits he thought plenty about the play-calling.
“We’re trying to develop into a top-10 or a top-five group,” he said. “I think we have the potential to do that.
“We’re not going to live in our fears. We’re not going to take the foot off the gas in the third quarter.”