Mayfield has Browns on the rise
A quick glance at items of interest as Week 13 rolls on… WHO’S HOT
Baker Mayfield. The immaturity of the Browns rookie quarterback was on full display this week as he rattled on about Hue Jackson getting another job with a division rival in Cincinnati, then got huffy with the media and on social media when called out for his self-absorbed view of the NFL world.
Yet love him or loathe him, at least the brash Mayfield isn’t afraid to be himself, speak his mind ... or sling the football. And it’s notable that since Jackson was fired as Browns coach and Todd Haley was dismissed as O-coordinator, Mayfield’s game has been boosted to another level under new coordinator Freddie Kitchens. Cleveland heads into Sunday’s game at Houston with a two-game winning streak, during which Mayfield completed 78.2% of his passes, with 7 TDs and 0 INTs. And don’t think the high completion rate is built on short dumpoffs. A difference in the Browns’ postHue/Haley offense is reflected in the shots downfield, which showcase Mayfield’s strong, accurate arm. PRESSURE’S ON
Matthew Stafford. Coming off a miserable Turkey Day performance magnified by the national-TV exposure, questions ramp up about why the Lions invested $135 million in the quarterback. Now the L.A. Rams head to Ford Field, with a familiar face in the middle of the defense in Ndamukong Suh.
Interestingly, Suh, who spent his first five NFL seasons in Detroit, has issued some thinly-veiled messages revealing apparent differences with Stafford. But that’s not the issue with the quarterback Detroit drafted No. 1 overall in 2009. The issue is that Stafford is anything but elite, which coincides with a mediocre franchise that has had myriad changes around him. And with a 5-year contract, there’s no choice now about Detroit’s commitment over the long haul. KEY MATCHUP
Russell Wilson vs. Richard Sherman. After being unceremoniously dumped by the Seahawks last offseason while in the middle of rehab for a torn Achilles, Sherman makes his return to Seattle.
Although the 49ers (2-9) are nowhere near the playoff map, Sherman can at least match wits against the Seahawks quarterback, as they did for years on the practice field. And perhaps he can affect the playoff hopes harbored by Seattle (6-5). Sherman will always be remembered as a key cog in the “Legion of Boom” secondary that provided backbone to the spectacular defense that supported Wilson while advancing to two Super Bowls.
He got a raw deal when released after refusing to take a pay cut, another reflection of NFL business.
Yet his contention this week that he didn’t have a “relationship” with Wilson, and previous comments about the perceived preferential treatment for the quarterback, adds an appropriate layer of context to Sunday’s matchup. NEXT MAN UP
Austin Ekeler. With multi-skilled Melvin Gordon sidelined by a sprained knee, Ekeler’s role is suddenly expanded as the lead running back for the Chargers. Coach Anthony Lynn says that Ekeler, a solid 5-10, 200, is “pound for pound” the strongest player on his team.
Now the hope, heading into Sunday night’s game at Pittsburgh, is that the second-year vet will manage to carry his heaviest load yet for a unit on a playoff mission. Ekeler’s developed into a significant player as a change-up back and complement to Gordon, increasingly producing more big plays.
Yet filling Gordon’s shoes are big. Gordon is the NFL’s sixth-leading rusher (802 yards, 5.2 per carry) and ranks seventh with 1,255 yards from scrimmage.
Gus Edwards. Undrafted from Rutgers, the bruising, 240-pound slasher has been the perfect complement to mobile quarterback Lamar Jackson in the revived Ravens offense.
Like Jackson, Edwards heads to Atlanta poised to make his third NFL start in as many weeks. And he’s started with a pop, averaging 5.8 yards per carry in becoming the first Baltimore runner with back-to-back 100-yard games since Justin Forsett in 2014 and just the second rookie in franchise history (Jamal Lewis, 2000) to hit that mark. IF PLAYOFFS WERE TODAY
The Chargers and Steelers would meet in a first-round game at Pittsburgh. Which means the Sunday night tilt at Heinz Field could be a playoff preview, with L.A. (8-3) holding the AFC’s top wild-card slot and Pittsburgh (7-3-1) falling to the projected fourth seed following its upset loss at Denver.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a big game involving the Steelers without some extra drama. Which is why Ben Roethlisberger wears a dunce cap for throwing rookie receiver James Washington under the bus, while also declaring that he’s “earned the right” to publicly criticize teammates. Maybe that skewed view of leadership is one reason the Steelers have not been quite able in recent years to recapture Super Bowl glory. STOMACH FOR AN UPSET
Vikings at Patriots. It’s one thing to shred a depleted Packers defense in your home dome. Now Kirk Cousins, who lit up Green Bay for 342 yards and 3 TDs last weekend, is challenged to upstage Tom Brady in Foxborough while in the thick of a playoff chase. Is that what an $84 million guaranteed contract is supposed to buy? The Patriots (8-3), with another AFC East title and first-round bye in their sights, are 5-point favorites. When last seen outdoors, in Week 11, Cousins had his lowest-rated (76.5) game of the season. Then again, that deflated outing came against the punishing Bears defense. New England is not Chicago.