Browns’ Beckham no factor in fourth quarter of loss to Chargers
The Browns ran eight plays in the final 1:31 of their 47-42 loss to the Chargers on Sunday, including a Baker Mayfield spike, but none had star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as the intended target.
Two went to Kareem Hunt, two to Rashard Higgins, one to tight end David Njoku and one to Donovan Peoples-jones. On the final Hail Mary, Njoku, Higgins and Peoples-jones were in the end zone cluster.
“There was a couple of opportunities, but the coverage took the quarterback elsewhere,” coach Kevin Stefanski said of the last series. “That is really the simple answer to it. We just have to make sure that we find ways to get [Beckham] the ball and all of our guys the ball. We have a bunch of different guys that can do something with the ball in their hands.”
Stefanski mentioned Njoku, who had a career day with seven catches for 149 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown.
In his third game back after Nov. 10 knee surgery, Beckham managed two catches for 20 yards on three targets. Beckham was targeted seven times at Minnesota and caught two for 27 yards. He was more productive in his 2021 debut against the Chicago Bears, pulling in five of nine for 77 yards.
On fourth-and-2 from the Chargers 17 in the second quarter, Beckham dropped a short pass that would have gone for a first down. Stefanski did not believe that caused Mayfield to lose trust in Beckham, especially on a fourth-quarter throw to Higgins when Beckham looked open.
“No, I do not think so. Any receiver throughout the course of a season, you are going to have drops. It just happens. We trust our guys,” Stefanski said. “On that particular play, he thought he had an opportunity to Rashard down the field, but it was just an unfortunate play.”
After the game, three-time Pro Bowler Beckham was seen sitting on the bench alone.
Hunt believes Beckham and Mayfield will develop a connection.
“Odell, he's a soldier. He's a beast. He just wants to win and wants to be able to do what he does,” Hunt said. “There's no doubt in my mind he will learn from some things he did wrong in the game. He did a ton of great things in the game. Nothing for him to be hanging his head on.
“Odell's a great teammate, a great person and a player. I feel like him and Baker will be just fine. Those guys click at practice, I've seen it, and I'm not too worried about it.”
Landry return uncertain
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-koramoah flew back to Cleveland Monday morning after being released from a hospital near Sofi Stadium. The rookie was taken there after suffering a throat contusion during the game.
On Monday afternoon, he tweeted, “All is well, health wise. #Week6focused.”
In other injury news, Stefanski said starting defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was not inactive against the Chargers because of the elbow injury that kept him out of practice Wednesday and Thursday and limited him on Friday.
“With Jadeveon … through pregame, his knee got sore,” Stefanski said. “That is really what held him out of the game.”
Receiver Jarvis Landry is eligible to come off injured reserve after missing three games with a sprained MCL suffered in Week 2 against the Houston Texans, but Stefanski was non-committal.