Finally!
After 19 weeks of regular season NFL play, the Cleveland Browns finally picked up a victory with a 21-17 victory over the New York Jets at First Energy Stadium.
In typical Browns’ fashion, it wasn’t easy.
A combination of another special teams’ gaffe (allowing a blocked punt), terrible offensive line play (Tyrod Taylor was sacked four times by halftime), and terrible play by Taylor (he completed 4 of 14 passes for 19 yards), gave the Jets a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
We felt if the visitors got the next score of the game, the Browns would still be winless after three games in 2018.
But, Taylor was injured and had to be checked for a concussion, so in came the first overall pick in last year’s draft, QB Baker Mayfield.
The offense immediately got a shot in the arm, both in the air and on the ground. The offensive line got better, probably because Mayfield got the ball out quicker.
Mayfield wound up completing 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards and no turnovers. It appeared the rookie attacked the defense, throwing into tight windows, and moving the ball vertically.
His worst throw came when he fired one off a defender’s shoulder pads in the end zone when he didn’t see a safety over the middle.
He even caught a pass, the tying two point conversion play from Jarvis Landry on a flea-flicker, reminiscent of the play he scored on in the Rose Bowl.
The running game also got going, getting 133 yards on the ground on a four yards per carry average, as Carlos Hyde led the way with 98 yards on 23 carries.
Landry caught 8 balls for 103 yards, including an incredible catch to set up the Browns first touchdown. The guy’s hands are just incredible.
On the winning touchdown drive, the rookie was tremendous.
He hit Duke Johnson for a first down on a third and five for 15 yards. He hit fellow rookie Antonio Callaway for 10 yards on a 3rd and 10.
Those were big time throws, put exactly where they had to be.
Defensively, after the Jets scored their second TD with 7:59 remaining in the second quarter, they scored three points the rest of the contest.
Sam Darnold was held under 50%, completing 15 of 31 passes for only 169 yards, and after some big plays allowed in the running game early, New York had just 107 yards rushing, a 3.6 average per carry.
They forced three more turnovers, a forced fumble by rookie Denzel Ward, and picks by Joe Schobert and Terrance Mitchell, the latter which clinched the victory.
That’s 11 forced turnovers in the first three games. Last year, the Cleveland defense forced 13…for the entire season.
And Myles Garrett had two more sacks.
There is no question the Browns have some emerging stars on that side of the ball. Garrett and Ward will be the obvious names, but Schobert, Mitchell, and Larry Ogunjobi can’t be overlooked either.
Unfortunately, the special teams still continue to be unimpressive.
The penalties were down too, the Browns had just five last night, but that could be a product of the officiating crew. Some throw a lot of flags, some don’t.
With the win being on the Thursday night game, the Browns get a little extra time to celebrate. They will have a victory weekend.
They go to Oakland a week from Sunday, and have a chance to start, wait for it…a winning streak!
We all thought the Browns were an improved football team, and last night, they proved it.
The Mayfield era started earlier than expected, but you can’t turn back after his performance and the result of the game.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 