The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Loss stuns Mayfield; fans are used it
Coach Hue Jackson’s team is inventing ways to lose each week. Stay tuned next week in Pittsburgh. Who knows what lies ahead for the Browns, now 3-35-1 in the Jackson era.
Takeaways from the Browns’ 26-23 overtime loss at Tampa Bay on Oct. 21:
• Baker Mayfield stood in shock on the sideline.
Browns fans were right there with you too, rookie.
With the Browns, it’s always something.
Given new life when Tampa Bay kicker Chandler Catanzaro missed on a field-goal attempt at the end of regulation, Cantanzaro connected from 59 yards to win it.
Of course he did. Because against the Browns, those kind of things always happen — or it at least seems that way.
Win the turnover battle, 4-1, register a safety and still lose? That’s the Browns.
Make an out-of-nowhere comeback in the fourth quarter, and still lose? That’s the Browns.
Coach Hue Jackson’s team is inventing ways to lose each week. Stay tuned next week in Pittsburgh. Who knows what lies ahead for the Browns, now 3-35-1 in the Jackson era. “Losing sucks,” said Mayfield in the postgame. Welcome to Cleveland. • Despite winning the turnover battle, the Browns had the worst mistake of the bunch when Jabrill Peppers coughed up the ball on a punt return late in the overtime.
The timing could not have been worse. The Browns were in position to be set up near midfield with a few minutes to play in the overtime. Instead, it led to Cantanzaro’s long field goal to win it.
Peppers was one of the Browns’ three first-round picks two years ago with Myles Garrett and David Njoku. So far, though, Peppers seem like a square peg in a round hole as a safety and punt returner for the Browns.
Recently, Peppers told (or complained) to the media he felt fans were holding it against him he’s a product of the University of Michigan. That’s interesting since fans in Northeast Ohio — where Ohio State reigns — have over the years embraced the likes of ex-Wolverines Thom Darden, Steve Everett, Derrick Alexander and Leroy Hoard.
Peppers’ mistake was a bad one — one that puts a player in the fans’ and coaches’ doghouse. Getting out of that doghouse won’t be easy for Peppers moving forward.
• Mayfield showed plenty of moxie in the fourth quarter leading the comeback, but consistency was not there against the Bucs. He finished 23 of 34 passing for 215 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. His QB rating was 104.4, but he was sacked five times.
At one point in the game, he was 14 of 21 for just 101 yards, but then he got hot late with TDs to Jarvis Landry and Njoku.
Maybe everyone — the fans, the media, the coaches, his teammates — are to blame for the early Baker Mania buzz after the 2018 No. 1 overall pick came off the bench to rally the Browns to a 21-17 win over the Jets in Week 3.
Mayfield made it look easy against New York, but rookie QBs rarely have it easy once the bright lights are turned on. Mistakes, taking sacks, missing throws … it’s all part of the process.
Compounding matters is a fan base starving for victories. Mayfield gives fans the ultimate hope. His play brings victories to the tip of fans’ collective tongues, and that’s so tempting.
The reality is there is and will continue to be a big learning curve with Mayfield. A little more patience is needed for everyone.
• Nick Chubb started slow, but finished strong with 80 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. He came close to breaking it all the way on his long run of 21 yards.
Chubb’s big-play ability greatly exceeds Hyde’s, and expect better days ahead for the rookie running back from Georgia.
• For those wondering, the NFL record for most overtime games played by one team in a season is the 1983 Packers, who played in five. The Browns are at four. They tied the Steelers in the opener, lost in OT to the Saints in Week 2, lost to the Raiders in OT in Week 4, then beat the Ravens in OT in Week 5. The ‘83 Packers were 2-3 in their five OT games.