Cleveland Browns: Studs and duds from Week 5 win over Ravens
By Randy Gurzi
Stud: Baker Mayfield, Quarterback
The legend continues to grow. Baker Mayfield and the color rush uniforms — and the opossum sightings — are simply undefeated. Facing a much tougher team than in his first appearance, Mayfield was fantastic. He shook off an early interception and ended up leading the team to a huge win.
In the process, he finished with 342 yards passing and had the beautiful touchdown pass to Higgins. What was most impressive was Mayfield got them in position to win the game three separate times.
The first was the end of regulation when they set Joseph up for a 55-yard kick that sailed wide. He then got them in range in overtime, but Hue Jackson elected to go for a fourth-and-five with the kicker struggling. Mayfield’s pass fell short there, but there likely should have been a penalty on that play.
Undeterred, he again moved the ball as overtime wrapped up. He got them close enough for the 37-yard game winning kick. Mayfield is proving why they took him No. 1 overall this past draft.
Dud: The running game
This one falls on head coach Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator Todd Haley and Carlos Hyde. Once again, after hearing that they wanted to get some of their young studs the ball, the coaches kept that young man on the sidelines. That young player would, of course, be Nick Chubb, who won the Rookie of the Week award with two touchdowns on just three carries in Week 4.
Then after Jackson said he would get more touches, Chubb got three carries again. While they did get Duke Johnson more carries, they never tried to get Chubb going and kept running with Hyde — who once again had less than four yards per attempt.
Haley said they would roll with the hot hand, but instead it’s been all Hyde. Even when he isn’t playing extremely well.