Browns’ Mayfield dealing with frustrating season

Every bad throw, every body ache and every chance Baker Mayfield missed to put away the Lions pained him.

The boos directed at Cleveland’s quarterback — from some hard-to-please fans at home — didn’t help. So when the final seconds ticked off in a 13-10 win that felt more like a loss, Mayfield didn’t feel like celebrating.

“I feel like I let my teammates down,” he said.

With a day to process what went wrong and get a grip on his emotions, Mayfield said frustration with his own performance — not any booing or a litany of injuries — caused him to head straight to the locker room following the game and not speak to the media.

Mayfield threw two interceptions against the Lions in a sloppy, penaltyfilled affair for the Browns (6-5), who held on for dear life and kept their playoff hopes intact as they head into a critical three-week stretch.

After the Browns ran out the clock to escape the upset, Mayfield took off his helmet and didn’t acknowledge teammates, coaches or anyone from Detroit’s team as he gloomily walked off the field.

He declined postgame interviews, which are required by the NFL unless a player is getting medical treatment.

“I was frustrated, among other things,” Mayfield said Monday on a Zoom call. “I mean I’ve never dodged any questions or hid — so just frustrated, removed those emotions and all of that from it and decided it was best to wait.”

Mayfield defended his decision to not discuss his uneven game.

“Not one part of that is not being accountable,” he said, snapping at a question. “I’d be the first to tell you I played like (expletive), so it’s not about accountable and I don’t owe you guys any of that.

Bears uncertain about Fields’ condition

The Chicago Bears are reeling. And now, they might have to get by without Justin Fields.

Coach Matt Nagy said the team was still trying to determine Monday if their prized rookie quarterback bruised his ribs or broke them in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“I can’t rule out anything, all I can say is we’re waiting to get feedback today and then that’s what we’ve got to go off of,” he said.

The Bears (3-7) were hoping Fields would build on his best outing as a pro. Instead, he struggled Sunday before heading to the locker room in the third quarter, and the Bears lost their fifth straight game.

Panthers’ Newton needs to finish strong

Cam Newton re-energized the Carolina Panthers and the home crowd in his first start since returning to the franchise that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2011.

But the 32-year-old QB didn’t produce when his team needed him most Sunday.

The Panthers (5-6) had two chances to drive the length of the field and beat Washington in the final 4:13. Both possessions ended in turnovers on downs rather than a heroic finish as Carolina lost 27-21. The costly defeat dropped Carolina from the third NFC wild card entering the weekend to tied for the 10th-best record in the NFC.

“You can’t have the ball twice at the end of the game and not go down and score in the National Football League,” Rhule said on Monday. “We have to convert more third downs. Is that Cam? No, it’s everybody.”