Cleveland Browns Instant Reaction: Blowouts and injuries in Week 10
By John Suchan
The Cleveland Browns were blown out by the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Playing against the New England Patriots up in Foxborough, Massachusetts hasn’t been easy for the Cleveland Browns in recent years. The last game the Browns won in New England was in 1992. They’d played them six times since with no luck. Well, that lack of luck continued as they got humiliated by the Patriots 45-7.
Every time this season Cleveland has had an opportunity at relevance, they lay an egg. With the loss, the Browns playoff hopes took a serious blow as well.
The Browns defense, from their player’s lack of effort to their defensive coordinator Joe Woods poor play calling were again exposed badly in this game. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was off all day on his throws that included a devastating first-half interception that led to an easy New England score.
And why does Browns coach Kevin Stefanski continue to play call like he’s confused or forgot what the score is?
Let’s take a look at these issues that again really hurt the team today.
Baker Mayfield was off
Baker Mayfield had a chance to continue his good fortune this weekend after he had played so well a week ago against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he reverted back to that quarterback, that quite honestly looks lost, sped up, and inaccurate.
In the game Sunday, Mayfield was off the mark all afternoon, throwing balls high and inaccurately. On the opening Browns drive that they scored a touchdown, he nearly threw an interception but got bailed out when the defender dropped the pass in the back of the end zone.
On the second series of the game, Mayfield didn’t disappoint as he did throw that interception, and this time the Patriots ran the takeaway back to the Browns five-yard where they scored an easy touchdown. Mayfield was 6-of-14 on completions in the first half for a measly 36 yards. Obviously, it wasn’t Mayfield’s best day.
In a game where the team was without their best offensive threat in running back Nick Chubb, I thought Mayfield would feel the need to perform well, but again when the pressure is more on him to perform for his team, he falters. Let’s hope Chubb is back next weekend against the Detroit Lions when the Browns host them to give Mayfield a break and a chance to manage the offense again.
The long-term contract that Mayfield is hoping for from the Browns may still be there, but games like this one give a great deal of pause to all that want to see the Browns succeed long term. Is he the guy to get the team to the Super Bowl? That jury is still out.