Cleveland Browns: Studs and Duds in Week 4 nail-biting victory

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Oct 3, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) leads the offense against the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Browns Dud: Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield started the 2021 season with a very solid performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, getting the Browns to within one final drive of beating the reigning AFC Champions. He followed up that performance with two solid outings in Week 2 and Week 3 against the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears, respectively.

On Sunday, however, Baker Mayfield had his worst game of the season, and perhaps his worst in several seasons. Mayfield was unable to get any rhythm and looked off all day.

It started on the Browns very first drive, as Mayfield missed a wide-open Kareem Hunt in the endzone. On fourth down, Mayfield took an 11-yard sack rather than allowing one of his teammates to do something by throwing the ball into the endzone.

If that were the only instance that made Mayfield look bad, he wouldn’t be on this list. Instead, it was play after play where Mayfield looked nothing like his normal self. He threw behind several receivers and underthrew Odell Beckham Jr. twice on deep balls in the second half, with the second most likely having resulted in a touchdown and sealing the victory for the Browns.

Mayfield still has his share of ups and downs, which makes many question his true long-term future with the organization. However, he has shown plenty in his career, especially under head coach Kevin Stefanski, to prove himself as a quality NFL starting quarterback.

If there’s one quarterback who is going to rip apart his poor play and look to bounce back in Week 5, it’s Baker Mayfield.

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