Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield had his share of bad moments in Cleveland’s Week 4 loss to the IOakland Raiders but can bounce back against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5.
The Cleveland Browns should have won their Week 4 road contest against the Oakland Raiders.
Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield and Co. were up 28-14 over Oakland in the third quarter. Then a fumble on a sack of Mayfield, the Raiders recovered and subsequently scored on their following possession. 28-21. And then there was another fumble early in the fourth quarter from Mayfield, which Oakland recovered, subsequently taking the lead.
And with the game tied and mere seconds left in regulation, Mayfield was picked off on a deep pass by Oakland defensive back Reggie Nelson.
That was one of two interceptions Mayfield tossed in his starter’s debut. It’s hard to fault Mayfield for that second pick. He was going deep in an attempt to win the ballgame with only seconds left.
But that first one, yeah. Mayfield deserves a share of the blame a bit:
Marcus Gilchrist makes a great play reading Mayfield that leads to the pick 6 for Gareon Conley. He reads Mayfield and is breaking on the ball before its released. Reads the in breaking route from the WR. Both WR and Conley slip as well. #Raiders #All22 pic.twitter.com/RwuYHhyGwL
— Ryan Holmes (@Rholm22) October 1, 2018
Mayfield went 21-of-41 for 295 yards with two touchdowns against the two interceptions — a passer rating of 70.7. He played well enough to win the game, but the turnovers are ultimately what led to the Raiders pulling off the surprising overtime victory.
Simply put, the game shouldn’t have gone to overtime.
Now, Mayfield and the Browns take on their AFC North rivals, the 3-1 Baltimore Ravens, who are fresh off a 26-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
Baltimore is showcasing its vintage defense, allowing a mere 4.7 yards per pass — best in the NFL.
Tough task for Mayfield, right?
Absolutely. But there are ways Mayfield can get back on track and figure out a way to take advantage of a few holes and question marks within the Ravens defense. It won’t be easy. Mayfield will, of course, have to take care of the ball and avoid the turnovers that plagued the Browns’ chances in Week 4.
So how can Mayfield get back on track and somehow have a good game against one of the better defenses in the league?
Here are three ways how.
