Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield’s 5 worst games of 2020
By Sam Penix
1. Week 6 at Pittsburgh Steelers
In what needed to be one of the best games of Mayfield’s career, he put up his worst. Nursing cracked ribs suffered in the Colts game, Mayfield was pressured all day as the Browns offensive line was manhandled by Pittsburgh’s front-seven.
After going 10 of 18 for 119 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions (including an awful pick-six to Minkah Fitzpatrick on his first attempt of the game), Mayfield was replaced by Case Keenum at the end of the third quarter to protect him from further abuse.
The constant pressure and questionable coaching (Cleveland’s tight ends were blocking T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward on their own multiple times, for example) did him no favors, but Mayfield didn’t play well in a vacuum either. His pick-six was a terrible read where he never saw Fitzpatrick lurking in the box, ready to cut off the throw.
It was a terrible effort by just about everyone on the team, but the spotlight was focused on Mayfield, and following this game, there rumblings about his future in Cleveland. From the next week through the end of the season, he more than shut those up.
dark. Next. Mayfield’s 5 best games of 2020
Mayfield played better in the Week 17 rematch, although he was still erratic with placement, and the Steelers were resting key defensive starters. The final result was a playoff-clinching victory, so it’s hard to complain.