A Baker’s dozen: Baker Mayfield’s finest moments

Baker Mayfield is entering his fourth season with the Cleveland Browns but has already provided us with plenty to be excited about

That incredible vibe, we all felt after we had just watched the Cleveland Browns come from behind and defeat the New York Jets on that hot late September Thursday night game in 2018, as we walked back up East 9th Street was one I’ll never forget. We had just witnessed our new franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield ripping passes to his wide receivers and helped the Browns win the game that night and awakened an entire fanbase that hadn’t seen a Browns victory in nearly two years.

Mayfield has certainly demonstrated many other times, since that magical moment three years ago that he is here to stay and will be the guy to bring the Browns back to that standard of winning and success.

From a Browns first playoff win last season against the Pittsburgh Steelers to that incredible touchdown throw he made to Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry against the Carolina Panthers in a late rookie season victory, Mayfield has certainly kept us all pumped up and ready to witness that next spectacular moment in his young bright career.

So here are a “Baker’s Dozen” moments that stand out so far for me:

1. The New Jets game in 2018

It’s the most memorable moment for me, as I was sitting up in section 537 at the First Energy Stadium, and watched with excitement what Mayfield was able to do that game to provide that spark the Browns needed to come away with the win. The Browns had gone 0-16 in 2017 and struggle to that point in the early 2018 season.

Former Browns coach Hue Jackson was still the coach and he had quarterback Tyrod Taylor starting the season for the Browns. After the tie ballgame against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a last-second loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Browns were on center stage, on a very hot September night in downtown Cleveland for a Thursday Night nationally televised game.

After Taylor was not moving the Browns offensively and after an in-game injury to Taylor, Mayfield appeared late in the first half and the entire game, season, and future of the Browns immediately changed for the better. You could sense it in the stadium, as you could from your television sets.

2. Pittsburgh victory to seal playoff spot

With a playoff spot in reach, the Browns had to beat their rival Steelers in the last home game of the season. The game seemed like an early victory for the Browns as they stretched the lead to 24-9 late in the 3rd quarter. However, the Steelers came back in the 4th quarter and cut the Browns lead to 24-22.

The Browns defense came up big in denying the Steelers the 2-point conversion.

Pittsburgh then attempted an onside kick to get the ball back, but the Browns got the ball and then Mayfield and his teammates had to get a first down to secure the win. The Steelers called timeouts with just over a minute of game time. It came down to a crucial third-down play on the Steelers 42 yard line. The Browns needed two yards.

Behind the best NFL offensive line on the season and a huge powerful block by Browns running back Kareem Hunt, Mayfield took the shotgun snap and scampered to his right and slid after the three-run gain to get the first down and the win. Mayfield bounced up and gave a huge first down and victory gesture to the cameras and the rest is history.

3. Baltimore Ravens Monday Night Game

Though the Browns lost this game to the Ravens, Mayfield was brilliant late in the game and almost pulled out the victory. Behind 34-20, Mayfield engineered a few drives that led the Browns to take the lead late, lose the lead because of the Browns poor defense that night, and then tied the game again in the last minute.

But the Browns defense failed again and the Browns lost on a field goal in the last seconds. Having been there in the stadium that night it was such an exciting finish to a game in a while and even though it was a loss most fans that night weren’t devastated but were looking forward to the next Mayfield performance.

4. Tennessee win and that 1st half

Coming into this game there was still some in the sports media world who were doubting how good the Browns and Mayfield were this past season. They were 8-3 at this point but hadn’t won impressively the previous weekend down in Florida against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That all changed in one half as the Browns ran away from the Titans 38- 7 by halftime as Mayfield threw four touchdown passes including a 75-yard bomb to wide receiver Donovan People-Jones.

5. ‘Feeling Dangerous’ game

Though Mayfield and the Browns had won that early-season game against the Jets his rookie season and even upended the Ravens a few weeks later, they went on to lose several close games and were staring at a 2-6-1 record. The victory that day against the Atlanta Falcons helped the Browns gain some momentum and led to them winning five of their next six games and got them a taste of what playoff atmosphere football could be like in their future.

Mayfield, in his post-game comments, addressed the media by saying, “When I woke up this morning, I was feeling pretty dangerous.” That comment has since defined Mayfield and his identity with the Browns.