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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Doug Farrar

Baker Mayfield becomes an instant pocket passer to take Browns to 5-2

It’s unusual for quarterbacks to have “with-it” moments in the middle of games — generally speaking, the NFL is too complicated for a guy to just “get it” on the fly. But it could be credibly be said that, in the Browns’ 37-34 win over the Bengals on Sunday, Baker Mayfield figured out how to be a pocket passer in an all-of-a-sudden fashion.

Because before this game, Mayfield was awful from the pocket. He threw two interceptions, including a Minkah Fitzpatrick pick-six, from the pocket in Cleveland’s 38-7 loss to the Steelers in Week 6, and all of a sudden, there were people wondering if the Browns should give Case Keenum a shot.

Cincinnati’s defense is not Pittsburgh’s, to say the least, but Mayfield answered the critics as decisively as he possibly could in this game. After an 0-for-5 start, Mayfield went on to complete 22 of 23 passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns. Moreover, all five touchdowns were from the pocket. Per Sports Info Solutions, Mayfield had thrown six touchdowns and five interceptions from the pocket all season.

There was this three-yard zinger to tight end Harrison Bryant:

Bryant again from six yards out:

This 16-yarder to tight end David Njoku:

This eight-yarder to running back Kareem Hunt:

…and this preposterous game-winning 24-yard touchdown pass to receiver Dnovan Peoples-Jones with 11 seconds remaining.

An amazing turnaround for Mayfield which took the Browns to 5-2 on the season, and he’ll look to continue it against the Raiders’ leaky defense next Sunday.

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