by The Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield needed a big game and got one as a brilliant offensive attack led the Browns to a 35-30 victory. Mayfield looked great for most of the night and would finish with 218 yards on 16 of 23 passing with 2 touchdowns and an interception.
For Mayfield, his sharpness and quick decision making, along with the ability to rollout and throw on the run, is the exact skill set that had fans singing his praises his rookie season.
He showed flashes of that once again, if he could put it together week in and week out, he has a chance to be the franchise quarterback for a very long time. Music to Cleveland Browns fans ears.
Perhaps most importantly for the Browns coming into tonight was the need to see some chemistry between Baker Mayfield and star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. They finally did as both got off to a hot start in the first half tonight. OBJ would finish with 4 catches on 6 targets, for 74 yards and scored once.
While players like Mayfield and OBJ continue to grab headlines and highlight reels, it is Nick Chubb who is the workhorse of this team. Chubb ramped it up tonight for 125 yards on 22 carries, scoring twice. When Chubb is on, so is this Cleveland Browns offense.
His backfield running mate Kareem Hunt also had his best game as a Cleveland Brown and showed the rushing leader form that Browns fans have been pining for since signing him following the 2018 regular offseason. Hunt went off tonight, for 86 yards rushing on 10 carries, with a touchdown run and also a touchdown catch.
Joe Burrow was no slouch himself tonight, and may be the best signal caller the Bengals have had since Boomer Esiason. No offense to Andy Dalton and Carson Palmer, but Burrow appears to have that “it” factor they need.
Burrow tallied 317 yards on 37 of 61 passing with 3 touchdowns as well. He did take 3 sacks. In a league filled with spread offenses and RPO’s, he is a traditional drop back passer that has the potential to light this league up.
Both starting quarterbacks performed up to their number one pick status to start the game as each led scoring drives. Joe Burrow took the Bengals on efficient and 7 plus minute drive in which he completed 6 of 8 passing for 49 yards.
He also converted a crucial 4th and 4 on the drive as well to keep it going. It would result in a Randy Bullock 38-yard field goal.
Baker Mayfield looked sharper than he has in a long time as he marched the Browns 80 yards with ease to start their attack on the night. Mayfield showed poise as he went 4 for 4 for 55 yards and didn’t let a 1rst and 25 rattle him.
Neither did head coach Kevin Stefanski who called a perfect drive. Chubb went for 27 yards and a touchdown on 5 carries. The touchdown was from 11 yards out for Chubb to put them ahead after a Cody Parkey extra point.
After a 3 and out for the Bengals, Mayfield, Chubb and the Browns went right back to work. This time it was a couple of Nick Chubb runs setting up a 43-yard bullet from Mayfield to Odell Beckham Jr as the Browns scored again.
It was a much-needed touchdown for OBJ and hopefully the start of chemistry between the two. This put Mayfield at 5 for 5 to start the night with 98 yards.
The need for points looks like it will be more than ever however for this Browns teams as their defense continued to struggle into the second quarter.
Shortly after, Burrow scorched the Browns secondary, eventually completing his first NFL touchdown pass as he connected with CJ Uzomah from 23 yards out to cut the Browns lead to 14-10. That Browns secondary is in big trouble unless they get healthy quick.
The Browns only had 4 possessions the entire first half, but my goodness they were sharp with them, scoring on three. The final one ending in another six points as Mayfield capped off an excellent drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kareem Hunt on a 3rd and goal from the 6 with 91 seconds to go.
4 possessions, 3 scoring drives, and 3 touchdowns with 2 touchdown passes. It finally seemed as though they got things figured out when it comes to using their vast variety of weapons.
The only negative of the half was once again their defense allowing points on a two-minute drill drive. A trend that has not changed since 1999 as they routinely allow points at the end of a half.
A 43-yard Randy Bullock field goal made it 21-13 Browns at the half. Burrow finished the first half with 170 yards on 18 of 28 throwing, with a touchdown. Baker Mayfield also looked strong throwing for 167 yards on 11 of 14 with 2 touchdowns.
It looked as though the Browns would score to start the second half as well. But an impressive goal line stand from the Bengals shut that notion down as the Browns had four chances to get it in from the one-yard line and couldn’t do it.
Stefanski chose to go for it on 4th down instead of taking the chip shot field goal, it would cost the Browns 3 easy points. Earlier in the drive it had looked like Nick Chubb scored but after further review he was just short.
The Browns would get a second crack at it however, only moments later as a Myles Garrett strip sack of Burrow gave the ball right back. This time they had little issue as Chubb took it in from 1 yard out to give them their biggest lead of the game at 28-13.
The Bengals, yet again, wasted no time answering as Burrow had little to no issues running a hurry up offense that led the Bengal attack right down the field.
However, it was them this time who couldn’t score from first and goal, inches away. They would have to settle for a 27-yard Randy Bullock field goal to cut the lead to 28-16. The third quarter would end by the same score.
Mayfield looked strong, one of his best games as a pro, but a late interception killed a promising drive set up by several excellent Kareem Hunt runs.
It was the first turnover for the Browns, and kept hope alive for Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Burrow wouldn’t waste that hope and led the Bengals into the endzone again, this time completing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Mike Thomas. This cut the lead to 28-23 and made Cleveland fans take a deep breath.
Both teams would exchange touchdowns once again with a Kareem Hunt touchdown run and then a Joe Burrow touchdown pass ending the scoring at 35-30 with seconds to go. In all reality, the Hunt touchdown run with a few minutes to go put the game away.
The Players of the game can be found on page two.
