by This Browns update is brought to you by Alternative Horizon Counseling Center. You can learn more about them here.
https://keeonsports.podbean.com/e/alternative-horizon-counseling-center-offers-a-brighter-future/
The Browns are now 9-3 after a dominant 41-35 victory on the road this weekend in Tennessee. Baker Mayfield had the best first half of his pro career and the Browns beat a team with a winning record for the second time all season.
Mayfield was incredible today and took care of the ball while feasting on perfect play calling from Stefanski. The 2018 number one overall draft pick went 25 of 33 passing for 334 yards, with 4 of those incomplete passes, dropped balls.
He had 4 touchdown passes all coming in the first half as well. He also caught a ball and continues to shut up the critics this season with solid play behind center.
Here is a staggering stat that shouldn’t be glossed over. Since OBJ was knocked out of the Cincinnati game, Mayfield has thrown 11 touchdowns next to 0 interceptions. If that is not a glaring example of what the problem may have been, I’m not sure what is.
The Browns are now 7-1 in games started by Nick Chubb. He went for 80 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. He also caught a ball for 26 yards. He was one of 9 players to catch a ball from Baker Mayfield today as well.
Hollywood Higgins had 6 catches for 95 yards and a score. DPJ had 2 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Jarvis Landry went for 62 yards on 8 catches with a touchdown in his second straight game. They appear to be a three pack of wideouts reliable enough for Mayfield if they do decide to part ways with OBJ after the season.
The Browns came out of the gate firing on all cylinders to begin the game. Coach Kevin Stefanski went for broke with a mixture of trick plays and aggressive play calling. Mayfield started the game 11 of 13 for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Stefanski has found something in Baker.
After using a well-timed out opening drive that resulted in points with a 27-yard Cody Parkey Field Goal, they got the ball back on a short field after the Titans went for it and fourth and short and got stopped. The big play by the defense gave the offense serious adrenaline to take the game over.
Feeling the momentum, the Browns wasted no time picking apart the Titan defense marching down the field in search of increasing the 3-0 lead. They did just that with a little bit of trickeration along the way. This time having a double reverse from Chubb to Landry, result in a first down pass to Baker Mayfield. The Titans hit Landry late on the throw, resulting in 15 more yards.
A few plays later it was Mayfield finding Landry in the back of the endzone to make it 10-0. This marked the first time all season the Browns scored more than once in the opening quarter of a game.
The red-hot start for the Browns wasn’t over with yet however, as they would then cause Derrick Henry to fumble it for the first time all season. This gave the Browns the ball back on the Titan 21-yard line with still 3 minutes to go in the opening frame.
They wasted no time punching it again, as Baker Mayfield found offensive linemen Kendall Lamm for a 1-yard touchdown, making 17-0 to start the second quarter.
After the Titans would answer with a touchdown of their own on the next drive, the Browns wasted no time at all firing right back. On the very first play of their next drive, up 17-7, they used a play action fake with a heavy package of tight ends and linemen, to find their only receiver in the game, that being Donavan Peoples Jones for a 75-yard touchdown bomb.
He was wide open, and the Browns were now up 24-7 on the road. Mayfield started the game 12 of 14 for 186 yards with three touchdowns.
Baker and the Browns weren’t done yet, not by a long shot. After another Titan punt, the Browns looked to put the game nearly out of reach. Mayfield threw them down the field again, hitting receivers everywhere he looked. This time it was Hollywood Higgins on the receiving end of another touchdown pass. This one, his fourth, finding Higgins for a 17-yard scoring grab. Mayfield had hit 9 different receivers at that point.
Remarkably, the Browns first half explosion still wasn’t over as they got the ball back again outside of two minutes and continued to go to work. Finishing things off this time was their dynamic back Nick Chubb to extend the lead to 38-7 at half. It was perhaps the best half of Cleveland Browns football in their road game history. Or at the very least, since the 51-0 road opening win at Pittsburgh in 1989.
Two touchdown catches by MyCole Pruitt and AJ Brown in the third quarter to cut the lead to 38-21 and gave the Titans a bit of spark to start the second half. It wasn’t enough and the Browns would eventually hang on for the 41-35 victory.
The Browns will host the Baltimore Ravens next week in search of revenge from the opening week loss to them 38-6. My oh my how much as changed since that day!
