DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Mayfield Officially Named Starter

This stood out for me - because it is exactly how I feel:

The Browns’ other quarterbacks, when compared to Baker, often seemed to be overwhelmed by the moment—teammates could tell that their focus was elsewhere, whether that was trying to get the offense down, making sure they called the play call in the huddle properly, avoiding interceptions, hoping to not be booed out of town... Baker knows that he’s going to make the right decision. When he’s on the field, it’s clear Baker is ahead of the curve—it doesn’t seem like you’re watching a rookie playing in only his second NFL game.

I have said this for years.

It is easier to rein a guy in slightly, then it is to get a timid QB to take chances.

Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield takes blame for turnovers, looks to improve




Baker Mayfield: We've very close to being a great team

Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield addressed the media in the locker room on October 3, 2018. Baker discusses his first start in the NFL, how he will use that experience moving forward and what he expects out of the Baltimore Ravens.

we should be called the Cleveland "Closes"

You nailed it, Diam!


Ok, Avery... your turn!
Or Harrison.... or Calloway!

As much as Harrison may deserve it at some point, I don't see that award ever going to an OLman. (Well, maybe if there is some footage of him absolutely pancaking Suggs...)

Exhibit A: Baker Mayfield

Exhibit B: Tyrod Taylor

Well illustrated

yep, good point

Jc

I wonder if Baker had played as well as Brees just did how rasta could tear apart his game.
I'm sure he could explain it away how people are wide open and the Skins defense is soft anyway and how he was off target on several throws and should have had a couple picks and the receivers bailed him out.
Sounds close !!!

I think you are fooling yourself if you believe BM is anything like Brees...

Brees arm talent is miles apart.

Two of the three constants on our O have been

Callaway’s and Njokus drops .... seems like multiple drops each week ... they’d be the mvp’s of the drops competition with my boy Vice Grips and Higgins getting honorable mention ..

Our recieving corps has been a real poopstorm in the drops department ..

SOOOOOOOO DISSPAOINTED in Vice Grips so far in this area ..

Some of these stats blow my mind. We dropped way more passes last year and people didn't seem to have a problem w/it.

Because last year the drops were inconsequential....dropped passes didnt seem as bothersome when we were trailing by 17 most games. This year they are more impactful because we have been in position to win every game.

You think? It seems like we're seeing a lot more this year. Definitely a lot more very easy to catch balls hitting the turf this year.

Baker Mayfield is already backing up the Browns' decision to draft him with No. 1 pick

Baker Mayfield wanted the challenge.

Months before the Cleveland Browns made him the first pick of the 2018 NFL draft, he didn’t flinch at the prospect of joining the long-suffering franchise, which prior to his arrival had notoriously rotated through 28 starting quarterbacks since 1999.

Mayfield made it known back in January at the Senior Bowl that he believed if anyone could end the Browns’ run of futility, he could. He reiterated this belief a month later at the NFL scouting combine. Now, having played in just three games and taken the reins of Cleveland’s offense, the former Oklahoma star is making a believer out of his teammates, coaches and fans.

On Sunday, Mayfield directed the Browns to a gutsy 12-9 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens. The triumph not only gave the Browns their second of the season, but also their first against a divisional opponent since 2015. And once again, Mayfield impressed those closest to him.

“I ain't been around you a long time, but one thing I know about you: you don't flinch,” Cleveland coach Hue Jackson told Mayfield in front of the rest of the team in his post-game locker room speech. “You keep playing and you keep bringing the guys in.”

As is evident by the final score, points were difficult to come by for Cleveland. Mayfield threw for 342 yards and only one touchdown. He also threw an interception and completed just 25 of his 43 throws.

However, when the pressure peaked, he displayed remarkable poise. Mayfield led his team all the way from its own 2-yard line and into range for the game-winning field goal. A 13-yard scramble and a 39-yard completion proved critical on the drive.

During that performance, Jackson and Browns players witnessed another display of Mayfield's resilience and determination. But this wasn’t new news to everyone within the organization.

Mayfield’s mental makeup drew the Browns to him, and it was what separated him from all of the other talented quarterback prospects.

When general manager John Dorsey and his staff evaluated passers leading up to the draft, they chose not to put great stock in Mayfield’s physical attributes. They didn’t care that he’s considered undersized at just under 6-1 and 215 pounds. They didn’t worry that he didn’t have the same pure arm strength that some of the other quarterbacks available did. The confidence with which Mayfield carried himself both on the field and during pre-draft interviews made Browns leadership fall in love.

During their talks with people from Oklahoma, they learned that Mayfield possesses a knack for getting his teammates to rally around him. Some of it stems from his communication skills and his ability to find ways to identify with teammates regardless of their differing backgrounds. His body language and presence in the huddle are also factors.

The Browns learned that Oklahoma teammates found Mayfield’s swagger contagious. They also found his refusal to hang his head after mistakes or losses inspiring and motivating. No moment seemed too big for Mayfield in college, and the Browns thought the same would apply in the NFL. Jackson and his assistants still planned to groom the rookie gradually, but once he shined in place of an injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 3 and directed Cleveland to their first win since 2016, they realized it was impossible to keep him on the bench any longer.

After flying high in that comeback victory, Mayfield came back to earth last week at Oakland. He threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but he also tossed two interceptions and lost two fumbles in a 45-42 overtime defeat. Mayfield blamed himself for the loss and vowed to do better.

Despite the disappointing result for a re-invigorated Cleveland team, some close to Mayfield saw the benefits of the rookie having endured such an outing. The narrow margin of defeat served as a valuable lesson on the importance of ball security.

As Mayfield took the field against Baltimore, he was determined to show he could rebound from the previous week's disappointment. And he delivered.

Now, Browns teammates are learning that Mayfield is the same guy they heard about and observed from a far at Oklahoma. They’re talking about him the same way his Sooners teammates and coaches did.

“When I first saw the video of him dancing when he was in college at OU, that is when I knew that Baker was a different breed,” Browns running back Carlos Hyde said on a conference call with reporters on Monday. “He is not like most quarterbacks. He has some swag to him. I love it, especially from the quarterback position. I say that because of the way he plays and the way he carries himself – a guy who has been here and done it before like it is nothing new to him.”

Said wide receiver Jarvis Landry on Sunday: “It’s his attitude and charisma. Like I said, he didn’t budge. He didn’t flinch. He continued to find ways to get the ball in people’s hands and let them make plays, and that’s the biggest thing. It shows the amount of trust he has in everybody.”

Now 2-2-1, the Browns find themselves squarely in the race for the AFC North. Yes, there are still 11 games left. But Mayfield has given the Browns reason to believe that their rebuild may proceed at a quicker-than-anticipated pace.

Follow Mike Jones on Twitter @ByMikeJones.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf...son/1570986002/

That's flat out untrue.

Keep dying on that stupid hill, though.

No one wants to talk about last year anymore...Kizer...Hue as OC & HC...Sashi...dropped passes...done with it. We've beaten those dead horses to a pulp already.

I still like Holcomb over Couch.

I liked Quinn over Anderson.

No one?

Ill talk about last year, what do you want to know ?

I didn't know where to put this, but I will put it here.

I didn't want the Browns to draft Baker, but I really am liking a lot about his game.

I think his confidence is off the charts. I think he is a natural born leader. I think his arm strength is very good. I think he is pretty accurate. I think he escapes pressure well. I think he has a great will to win. I still wonder about his reads and him forcing balls into tight windows that will lead to turnovers because the ball placement is a bit off, but I'm okay w/that if he makes way more good plays than bad.

So, here is what I want to say. bonefish and I were talking about Baker and the team in a PM and I said to him:

What are we going to do in the period leading up to the draft w/out arguing about which QB to take? LOL

Think about that. This is the first time since our rebirth that I feel that we have a qb who has a legit shot of being "the guy."

It is honorable of you to admit Mayfield has a chance. We all know you wanted Rosen and nothing to do with Mayfield...some posters are too stubborn to be objective. Anyone who knows anything about football can see he is different. His intangibles are off the charts. I was a Darnold guy but im pretty sure we got the best of the bunch.

It is a luxury to not have to draft one next year and i dont think we need to draft oline in the first round either.

If you were replying to me, I also wanted Darnold. If it was a quick reply, then "darn confusing quick reply!"

I am sure that some might have some bizarre cross between being bewildered, apoplectic and/or comatose.

Quarterbacks must be able to deliver in an imperfect pocket / under pressure in order to have sustained success in the NFL

https://twitter.com/NFLMatchup/status/1049794541358895105



Throwing it deep opens up the short and intermediate pass game and creates the opportunity for big plays- these teams THROW DEEP the most and least!

https://twitter.com/NFLMatchup/status/1049704697135865856

No matter how you slice or dice it that is some good stats to take in. The pressure stat is impressive.
In the least it shows Qb play we haven't seen Inna while.
Very encouraging!

I wanted Darnold, and I wanted Darnold bad. when we drafted Mayfield, the first thing in my mind went "welp we did it again".

I was watching ESPN show, an they had the draft picks on , and were throwing into buckets or something showing off their accuracy (yes I know that means very little) but I noticed one thing when the kids were doing it. The other guys were lackluster throwing the balls into the buckets/barrels. Mayfield - doing this stupid drill on tv for publicity - had a look on his face that just screamed "I aint gonna lose this competition". He was not going to be outdone, no matter how dumb the thing was. That got me behind him.

I'm wondering if this is a symptom of the players trying to adjust to BM's ball, as it seems to have a lot more velocity than TT, and they were working with TT all through TC...

I'd say part of it is that, particularly with say Landry. Part of it is also chemistry/route running and timing.

Yeah, it's official. We lead the NFL in drops by a pretty big margin ...

I expect Njoku to have drops, but I'm surprised that Landry has had a few (pretty egregious ones too)

Callaway was pretty bad in Oakland too

been saying this.

During the Thursday night game (Baker's first game) Troy Aikman was talking about the spin on his passes, that he has a tighter spiral with more rotation than most QBs. When Landry had a pass clank off his chest, Aikman remarked that the ball got to him faster than he was accustomed to because of that tight rotation (velocity.) It's something to which the receivers would have to adjust. Add to that Callaway and Njoku have shown dropsys before Baker.

Browns Have a Franchise-Changing Star in Baker Mayfield, and We All Missed It

MIKE FREEMAN
OCTOBER 12, 2018



Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield had one of his best moments of the season last week, and it didn't show up on the stat sheet.

Mayfield was playing Baltimore, and the Ravens were attempting to get under his skin with some of the usual tricks. There was the occasional trash talk. The extra shove after he threw a pass. All were designed to irritate the rookie QB and knock him out of any potential comfort zone.

There was a problem: It didn't work.

Mayfield responded several times but never got sucked totally in. He remained pretty calm, I was told by one Ravens player, who added that he walked away from Baltimore's 12-9 overtime loss in Cleveland extremely impressed with Mayfield. In the player's opinion, Mayfield is a future star.

He was far from the only Raven who was impressed.

"Baker is one of those guys," safety Tony Jefferson told BaltimoreRavens.com after the game. "We talked about it all week. He's a fighter, he's a playmaker. He's got that 'it' factor to him."

Mayfield finished the game 25-of-43 for 342 yards with one touchdown and one interception. It was a solid performance against one of the best defenses in football.

To say that Mayfield has been a success so far would be a dramatic understatement. In leading the Browns to two wins, and a near win in Oakland, he has become one of the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year.

It's early, but to people in the NFL, he already has shown maturity and skill they believed they'd never see. Barring some unforeseen calamity, like an alien invasion or Mayfield going on a party boat with Johnny Manziel, it is safe to say the Browns got this one right.

They got it very right.

Many in the media (including me—big time), though, got this one wrong. So, too, did many inside the NFL. Oh, sure, his name was bandied about as a possibility to go No. 1 in the draft, but more than a few of us (media, fans, execs) were genuinely surprised when the Browns tabbed Mayfield ahead of Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen or Josh Allen.

What did so many of us miss about Mayfield? In speaking with a number of league sources, there appear to be five reasons why Mayfield beat many of the predictions of gloom:


Height is irrelevant. The NFL (and many in the football media) still believe shorter quarterbacks struggle in the pros, despite the success of players like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson.

Mayfield is listed at 6'1". (Brees and Wilson are about 6'0"). The NFL (and many in the media) believe a quarterback has to be in the 6'3" range and higher to be especially successful.

What NFL teams continue to underestimate is the importance of athleticism in a quarterback, the ability to roll out of the pocket, or just take a few steps in one direction to clear a passing lane. Height is no longer the issue it once was—if it ever was a real issue.



He's no Manziel. Several league sources said that Mayfield—unfairly—was compared to failed Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel.

"To some teams," one scout said, "the failure of Manziel in a Browns uniform stuck to Baker."

Mayfield is no Manziel. He's made plays within the offense. He hasn't created any off-field drama. And he appears to have earned the trust of his teammates.



Factory of Happiness. The Browns have long been terrible at picking quarterbacks. So bad, in fact, that some teams believed the Browns would never get it right.

Their reason for feeling that was the horrid Browns culture, that the franchise was so soaked in misery no single player could change it. So, the thinking went, taking a risk on Mayfield first overall was a waste.


It turns out the Browns already had players who were helping to change (Myles Garrett, chief among them) the culture, added some more in the offseason (Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor), and with Mayfield, it has all come together.



The Saquon Barkley factor. There was a strong feeling (and with lots of merit) that Barkley was a better pick in the draft with a lot less risk. Barkley has been excellent for the Giants (racking up 71 carries for 308 yards and three touchdowns), who selected him second overall behind Mayfield.

But given with the rapid decline of Giants quarterback Eli Manning, it may turn out it's the Giants who made the draft mistake in not selecting a quarterback, not the Browns.



The Browns front office. It is far better than teams expected. Remember, with the fourth overall pick, the team took defensive back Denzel Ward. There were some curious looks, even private mocking from teams, about taking Ward that high.

Ward is now considered one of the best young corners in football. He is tied for the lead in interceptions with three. Last week against Baltimore, he had a pick and blocked a Justin Tucker kick, earning himself AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

With Ward and Mayfield on his resume, general manager John Dorsey can now boast of having drafted a who's who of up-and-coming stars: from Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt and Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City to Mayfield, Ward, Nick Chubb and Antonio Callaway in Cleveland.

That has the makings of not just a good front office but potentially a great one.

Rub your eyes all you want, but it looks like the Browns finally may know what they're doing.

There's a lesson in there for all of us that with just a few right decisions, any team can change its fate, no matter what everyone else expects.



Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @mikefreemanNFL.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2800...e-all-missed-it

Drops are partially to blame for this number, but a few extra catches doesn't bump him up very much.