FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Browns were punched in the mouth and lost some teeth during Sunday's 45-7 defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots.
Whether the Browns will have enough bite left to make the playoffs after a demoralizing lopsided loss to an opponent in the thick of the AFC postseason race is a serious concern.
Not only were the Browns (5-5) manhandled by the Patriots (6-4), but starting quarterback Baker Mayfield became even more banged up. Mayfield took a hit from linebacker Matt Judon, suffered a knee injury and left the game for good with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter.
Backup Case Keenum finished the game in place of Mayfield, who had been playing through a sore left foot and an injured left, non-throwing shoulder.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said after the game that Mayfield suffered a knee contusion, and could have returned if the game wasn't out of reach. Stefanski said Mayfield should be able to play next Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
Mayfield had a nightmarish outing and finished with fewer than 100 passing yards for the first time in his NFL career. His previous low of 100 passing yards came in another blowout loss, a 31-3 dud against the San Francisco 49ers in 2019.
Mayfield went 11-of-21 passing (52.4%) for 73 yards and a touchdown with an interception for a rating of 56.2. He took two sacks.
Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Mac Jones thrashed the Browns defense, which had played lights out in last week's 41-16 AFC North triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals on the heels of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. forcing his way out of Cleveland. The defense obviously did not turn the corner.
Jones finished 19-of-23 passing (82.6%) for 198 yards and three touchdowns without an interception for a rating of 142.1. He took two sacks.
With the game out of reach, former Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer replaced Jones with 8:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Browns nickelback Troy Hill had to be placed on a backboard and wheeled off the field on a stretcher after he was injured while attempting to tackle wide receiver Jakobi Meyers on an 11-yard touchdown catch from Hoyer with 4:13 left o play.
Later, the Browns announced Hill had movement in his extremities and had been taken to a local hospital with a neck injury.
The Browns were without star running backs Nick Chubb (COVID-19) and Kareem Hunt (calf) in the same game for the second time this season, leaving D'Ernest Johnson to start for just the second time in his NFL career. Johnson finished with 19 carries for 99 yards (5.2 average). With Chubb and Hunt out in Week 7, Johnson became the hero of a 17-14 win over the Denver Broncos on Oct. 21, rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries (6.6 average) on "Thursday Night Football."
The Patriots were short-handed at running back, too. Starter Damien Harris was inactive with a concussion, but rookie backup Rhamondre Stevenson crushed the Browns with 100 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries (5 average).
His 2-yard rushing touchdown allowed the Patriots to go ahead 31-7 with 5:04 left in the third quarter, ensuring New England would extend its winning streak to four games.
The Browns have lost their past four games against the Patriots and haven't beaten coach Bill Belichick's team since Nov. 7, 2010.
The Browns haven't won a road game against the Patriots since Oct. 25, 1992, when Belichick was Cleveland's head coach.
Browns defense destroyed by Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones early and often
The Patriots led 24-7 at halftime after outgaining the Browns 247 yards to 91. The Patriots converted 6-of-7 third downs in the first half compared with the Browns converting 0-of-4.
Jones outplayed Mayfield by a ton.
Jones went 13-of-15 passing (86.7%) for 134 yards and two touchdowns without an interception for a rating of 143.5 in the first half. Mayfield went 6-of-14 passing (42.9%) for 36 yards and a touchdown with an interception for a rating of 44.3 before halftime.
The Patriots scored a touchdown on each of their first three possessions for the first time since 2019, when the legendary Tom Brady still quarterbacked them.
Costly turnover by Baker Mayfield puts Cleveland Browns in a hole
The Patriots entered the weekend leading the NFL with 13 interceptions, and they registered pick No. 14 early in the second quarter.
Facing third-and-7 from the Cleveland 32, Mayfield intended a pass for tight end David Njoku, but he was covered. Defensive back Kyle Dugger caught the ball and returned the interception 37 yards to the Cleveland 5, where he was pushed out of bounds by rookie wide receiver Anthony Schwartz.
On the next play, Stevenson made the Browns pay by rushing for a 5-yard touchdown, and the Patriots seized a 14-7 advantage with 14:43 left in the second quarter.
Mayfield nearly threw another interception on the next series, but Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson couldn't secure the pass with Schwartz essentially playing defense. Jackson entered the game tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions this season. Jackson's 22 interceptions since his 2018 rookie season are the most during that span.
Then the Patriots poured it on. Jones threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who made a leaping catch at the goal line over safety John Johnson III and Hill. With the 11-play, 99-yard scoring drive, the Patriots went ahead 21-7 with 5:40 left in the second quarter.
The Patriots didn't punt until the third quarter. Their only possession of the first half that didn't result in a touchdown ended with Nick Folk making a 38-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the second quarter, extending the Browns' deficit to 24-7 just before halftime.
Browns and Patriots trade touchdowns to begin the game
The Browns started the game with the ball and used a no-huddle offense for a couple of plays early in their game-opening scoring drive.
A 19-yard run by Johnson gave the Browns first-and-goal at the 2, and four adventurous plays ensued.
On first down, the Browns used three tight ends and two fullbacks, with Johnny Stanton IV taking a direct snap out and running for no gain.
On second down, Njoku appeared to catch a pass from Mayfield in the back of the end zone, but Njoku didn't tuck the ball away, and safety Adrian Phillips knocked it away.
On third down, safety Devin McCourty broke up Mayfield's pass intended for receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones in the back of the end zone.
On fourth down, Stefanski decided to go for it, and Hooper juggled the ball before catching it in the back of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield with Phillips applying coverage.
The Browns took a 7-0 lead with the 11-play, 84-yard drive. During the series, Johnson rushed four times for 58 yards, the second-most running yards allowed on an opening drive by the Patriots under Belichick, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
However, the Browns were dominated for the rest of the first half.
It started on the next series with the Patriots firing back right away.
At the end of a 15-play, 83-yard drive, tight end Hunter Henry beat safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. to the back right corner of the end zone and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jones as the Patriots tied the score with 26 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Browns looked lifeless for the rest of the game.
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Lions at Browns
Time: 1 p.m. Sunday
TV: FOX
