Cleveland Browns vs. Panthers: Week 14 predictions

CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 20: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns runs off the field after a 21-17 win over the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 20, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 20: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns runs off the field after a 21-17 win over the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 20, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 21: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers drops back to pass against the Cleveland Browns during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 21, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 21: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers drops back to pass against the Cleveland Browns during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 21, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Writer: Mike Lukas

In Week 13, Cleveland Browns fans and the football world got to watch how rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield responded to his worst half of NFL football to date.

Answer:  Mayfield shook it off and attacked.

Baker completed 24-of-30 for 351 yards and a touchdown in the second half. That’s the most passing yards in a half by any NFL quarterback all season.

In Week 14, we all get to watch again how Baker responds to failure.

Answer: Mayfield will shake it off and attack.

His Browns are facing a Carolina Panthers defense that’s ranked 22nd against the pass but 6th against the run, so guess how offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens is going to game plan this one?

Mayfield is going to get plenty of chances to air-attack a Carolina team that’s on a four-game losing streak. And he’ll be going against Cam Newton, a quarterback who some suspect is slightly injured after coming off a loss where he threw four interceptions.

Interestingly enough, four is exactly one more pick than Mayfield threw last week.

Guess bad games aren’t just a rookie thing, haters.

An embarrassing outing might have been the best thing that could have happened to Mayfield after his very public week of what some saw as ‘mouthing off’. Baker will now do what he does and ninja all the negatives into positives and go quietly about the business of winning games.

Mayfield will shake it off and attack.

The Dorsey-Williams-Kitchens-Baker Browns are 2-2, and in that same amount of time, the Cam-lite Panthers are 0-4.

Week 14 is a very winnable game depending on how Baker responds.

Answer: Browns 24, Panthers 20