Maybe, maybe not. We'll see how it plays out. Plenty of cases where QB's played through opposite shoulder injuries over the years. I think your advice sounds good on paper, though I'm guessing based on your actual knowledge of Baker's x-rays and medical reports, it's likely thinner than that. No offence. Stefanski seems to think Mayfield will be good to go sooner rather than later, and he's talking next game vs. Pittsburgh, so I'm keeping fingers crossed and hoping for the best Anyway, we'll see soon enough.. Keenum was gutty, but he IS a back-up in this league for a reason. A very good back-up, but a back-up none the less. We need Bake. Not saying anyone here is, but the Browns fans that are ready to bury Baker make me sick...They are the same haters that hated him in the first place.
Part of the struggle that comes with being a good team (finally). A lot of this noise is created by the local - especially - and national media because it drives engagement. Then the bandwagon fans or the ones who care more about their fantasy numbers than the team's overall success scream the loudest about short-comings. If Baker never throws for more than 4,000 yards a season but we win 13 games - I'm good with that! The haters will continue to hate, unfortunately, but all we can do is continue to support our guys.
Per; PFT... The Browns will have quarterback Baker Mayfield for Sunday’s game against the Steelers. After Mayfield was able to participate in all three days of practice, Cleveland gave the quarterback no injury status and head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed in his Friday press conference that Mayfield will start. “Medically, he’s ready to go,” Stefanski said, via 92.3 The Fan. Mayfield has been battling through a torn labrum and fractured humerus in his left shoulder. He missed Cleveland’s Week Seven victory over the Broncos last Thursday, breaking his streak of 51 consecutive starts. Stefanski also noted, via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, that Mayfield has been throwing this week with a new harness on his left shoulder. “Functionally, he’s 100 percent,” Stefanski said. Mayfield has completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,474 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions in 2021. Cleveland, however, will be without star cornerback Denzel Ward, who is out with a hamstring injury. Ward had started every game for the Browns this season, recording three pass breakups. Receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin) and safety Richard LeCounte are also out for Sunday’s contest. LeCounte won’t play as a disciplinary measure for violating team rules. Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (ankle/groin/knee), cornerback A.J. Green (groin), defensive tackle Malik Jackson (knee), and defensive end Takk McKinley (groin) are all questionable. With no designations for right tackle Jack Conklin (knee) or left tackle Jedrick Wills (ankle), both are expected to play against the Steelers.
Usual for a 4th overall pick to not get a second deal with the team, but I don't know that there's a chance in hell I'd re-sign Ward to this roster. Besides being a tremendous liability (our third- or fourth-best CB, honestly) he's missed a season's worth of games with half-a-dozen different injuries. Can't play. Can't stay healthy.
And let's not forget that the kid changed the culture in Cleveland...It was 20 years of hell until Mayfield started taking snaps for the Browns. He came in to play in his first game in week 3 of his rookie season on a Thursday night. Approaching halftime, the Browns were losing to the Jets by 14. As a team they had gone 1-33 in the previous 34 games. Can't give ANY credit to Hue Jackson for it due to his steadfast belief that Tyrod Taylor was our answer, but Baker came on anyway due to injury to Taylor. Aaaand, Browns came back in epic fashion and won. They opened the Bud Light coolers and things have been different since.. Browns fans have had hope every single game since #6 took over....
saw an interesting take following the Pitt take down. The blogger stated flatly that we just aren't a very good team. Then specifically pointed at the WR position. We have no one who threatens the D among our WRs. Today we had 3 or 4 drops and Jarvis: our hero, was to blame for us not being able to score after halftime. I love Jarvis the football player, but that was awful, Higgins is braindead, OBJ clearly is past his prime, DPJ has a bad crotch, and Schwartz, simply isn't ready. Not that I agree with that in total, but a fair point IMO. Now maybe they'll come back from injuries and make that a lie, but for now it's hard to argue. Pitt is not a better "team", but they have a champion's mindset, and they make plays when the chips are on the table. We simply do not, or at least have not. Baker, if one chooses to focus on him, had yet another opportunity to lead the team to victory, in fact two opportunities, but we didn't win. I don't hang this on him. I think he had a good game overall, but I'm still waiting for him to lead us on a game winning drive. His supporting cast didn't help by making any contested catches, and dropped passes on top of that. What's worse is I think our opponents have figured out the Stephanski O. Maybe I'm just taking this too hard. I hate losing to Pitt, and having Ben win yet again in our house. The sun will rise tomorrow, but tonight it's awfully dark in Brown town.
I don't think there is such a thing as taking a loss to THEM too hard. The older I get the better I am of handling Sunday losses. Lord knows we have had enough practice the last two decades. This one hit me HARD yesterday. It was a really bad day. I can't argue much with the blogger you cited. I can't agree that Schwartz isn't ready, he hasn't been given much opportunity. Not to say he is, I just can't argue that he isn't. As for OBJ and Landry, it seems their professional effort that has driven them to the top of the list for many over the years is gone. Landry will still make an effort to get a tough catch, but unless it is a tow drag swag play, OBJ doesn't seem interested in making the contested catch. The concentration they have had over the years is obviously gone based on the number of drops the two of them have had this season. I have seen multiple posts blaming playing Baker over Keenum, that I disagree with 100%. I don't think playing Baker hurt the Browns at all yesterday. In fact I saw a couple of throws yesterday that I know Keenum can't make. But the effort from the receiver group was disheartening and the stat line will show up in Baker's stats, not theirs (except PFF). My two cents...
Above average effort trumps above average talent every time. For the most part yesterday, the Steelers put forth more effort. They outplayed us at our own game.
I had it a five drops... I saw as low as four and as high as seven on the internets. Even at the low number, Baker would have been 24 of 31 (77.4%). The guranteed four: Hooper (1st-and-goal) - would have been a walk-in 8 yard TD Higgins (3rd-and-10) - would have been 11 yards and a first down Landry (4th-and-12) - would have been 16 yards and a first down Beckham (2nd-and-10) - could have been a 39 yard TD if Odell doesn't slow down on the route and then gator-arm the catch Baker's line would have moved to 24 of 31 for 229 yards (7.4 YPA, 12.5 YPC) 2 TDs, 0 INTs - 128.3 QB rating Obviously, an additional 14 points would have done wonders on that 15-10 score.
Also* on the list of major let-downs: Nick Chubb. Chubb was 16 attempts for a pedestrian 61 yards (3.8 YPC) that was padded by a 21 yarder to start the second half. Outside of that one, he was 15 for 40 yards (2.6 YPC)... pretty hard to establish the run when it consistently puts you in a negative position. This is one of, if not the, highest paid offensive lines in the NFL -- have some standards. Steelers are still an elite defense, but there's no reason to have a running back as talented as Chubb posting 2.6 yards-per-carry most of the game.
