Baker Mayfield: Fire The Cannons

[Vee-Rex]

The way I took it (and the way it looks after watching it) was that Baker was planning to throw a back shoulder throw from the jump and Beckham didn't run a back shoulder route and Baker is doing his best to not publicly criticize Beckham for not running the route Baker expected him to run.

That said...

You'd hope that a professional QB when he sees his star WR get across the DB's face could improvise and just throw the go route instead. It seemed like Baker had enough time to make that adjustment as there was no pressure anywhere around Baker.

It's possible that Baker misread the safety and thought he was closer than he actually was and would have been able to make a play on the go route had he thrown it. A completed catch of any kind ends the game there, so Baker perhaps thought it was safer to throw back shoulder and he just wasn't on the same page as OBJ.

The announcer (I believe Harlan) said that he thought Baker was trying to keep the safety from making a play on the ball.

Regardless, that was terrible and easily the worst pass in the game (which is saying a lot since there were a ton of bad ones lol). Even the overthrow to Kareem could be argued that maybe he was trying to play it safe throwing it cross body and with pressure. Still should've been a TD to Kareem but this pass to OBJ was even worse.

 

[I'mWithDan]

Carr is playing at a high level right now and Ryan is.. ugh.

Matt Ryan

QBR - 40.7
RTG - 93.5
TD/INT - 8/3

Baker Mayfield

QBR - 39.7
RTG - 89.7
TD/INT - 2/2

 

[Vee-Rex]

Matt Ryan

QBR - 40.7
RTG - 93.5
TD/INT - 8/3

Baker Mayfield

QBR - 39.7
RTG - 89.7
TD/INT - 2/2

Interesting - I did not include Ryan's week 4 performance.

Funny how a single game can alter things in such a small sample size, right?

 

[winner0274]

 

[NorthCoastBias]

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Going to a rookie next year is probably one of the most high risk and easiest ways to completely take everything we built off the tracks

Of all the options, rookie QB is last on my list way lower than keeping mayfield. I can’t believe people look around at the rookie QB play in the NFL and say ‘yeah, sign me up for risking everything on this’

 

[Malacogary]

The way I took it (and the way it looks after watching it back several times) was that Baker was planning to throw a back shoulder throw from the jump and Beckham didn't run a back shoulder route and Baker is doing his best to not publicly criticize Beckham for not running the route Baker expected him to run.

That said...

You'd hope that a professional QB when he sees his star WR get across the DB's face could improvise and just throw the go route instead. It seemed like Baker had enough time to make that adjustment as there was no pressure anywhere around Baker.

It's possible that Baker misread the safety and thought he was closer than he actually was and would have been able to make a play on the go route had he thrown it. A completed catch of any kind ends the game there, so Baker perhaps thought it was safer to throw back shoulder and he just wasn't on the same page as OBJ.

*Maybe* it's possible that the play call was a back shoulder and OBJ realizing he was about to burn the defender deep changed his route and went with the wide open go. It's impossible to say. The way Baker is wording it makes me think he expected OBJ to peel back for a back shoulder throw.

That's how I saw it too. One day these two will develop something like that level of understanding. And we'll all be happy.

 

[Los216]

Going to a rookie next year is probably one of the most high risk and easiest ways to completely take everything we built off the tracks

Of all the options, rookie QB is last on my list way lower than keeping mayfield. I can’t believe people look around at the rookie QB play in the NFL and say ‘yeah, sign me up for risking everything on this’

If we move on from Baker we should look to make a move similar to what The Rams did while getting Stafford for Goff. That's a Super Bowl caliber team that made a move for an established QB. We should be looking into that if we're moving on from Baker.

 

[TheISHT]

And who should we target? Who is on Staffords level that could be had? Aaron Rodgers?

 

[Lee]

That makes sooooo much sense. He cant wear the brace or he cant play if he has to. Sucks but we might need to sit Baker till the shoulder is better if that is the effect of the shoulder brace.

 

[inliner311]

When Baker isn't confident in his line, he doesn't play well. Wills getting hurt and having to go to Hogan doesn't help the situation. Baker tends to play better the longer he has the same group of guys on the o-line in front of him. If Hubbard was the one coming in when either tackle gets hurt, I think Bakers confidence in the line would be alot better. He has played alot with Hubbard.

 

[Los216]

And who should we target? Who is on Staffords level that could be had? Aaron Rodgers?

Aaron Rodgers
Deshaun Watson (Obviously)
Derek Carr
Matt Ryan
Kirk Cousins
Jimmy Garoppolo


Those are the only real option that fit that mold. Now of course some of them are long shots but each situation is different. I just don't believe that Andrew Berry would move on from Baker and give the keys to an inexperienced QB. I also believe should we move on from Baker and acquire one of those QB's I listed I would also expect us to have a guy developing behind them. Like how The Packers and 49ers are doing right now.

And before people come and make jokes, Matthew Stafford was on that same list last season and The Rams went and got him and now they are Super Bowl contenders.

I also would like to add that the Browns have a better roster than all of those other QB's on that list to so any one of them could elevate us to true contender status with better and more consistent QB play.

 

[Lee]

Its amazing the reaction we are having. Baker was incredible game 1 and 2. Looked average game 3, horrible game 4. What is different? Baker is wearing a shoulder brace and hurt shoulder. Maybe Baker shouldnt be playing but wow do Browns fans not know how to win. we are 3-1 and beat what many considered a playoff team on the road.

Chill out, let the coaching staff address our concerns in press conferences, the media is talking about it constantly, they will ask their million questions about it.

 

[I'mWithDan]

Interesting - I did not include Ryan's week 4 performance.

Funny how a single game can alter things in such a small sample size, right?

I think it is possible you are just underestimating how underwhelming Baker has been across a variety of metrics.

I inserted Ryan's name because I expected the reaction to be "Matt........Ryan?".

Just look at week by week QBR ranks:

Week 1 - #14
Week 2 - #16
Week 3 - #25
Week 4 - #28

His best weeks were barely climbing in to the top half of the league, which I guess was my overarching point.

QB play is pretty good right now......and the level you need to play at to be on par with the best 10 guys, week to week, is exceptionally high.

Some people think Baker can be a top 10-12 QB but then you look across the statistical spectrum and he's just so underwhelming relative to the league.

I hope he digs out of it but my reaction in this thread was more to the general indifference of his play, which I think has been pretty bad as a body of work. Especially considering his situation and the effectiveness of the run game week to week.

 

[Malacogary]

Aaron Rodgers
Deshaun Watson (Obviously)
Derek Carr
Matt Ryan
Kirk Cousins
Jimmy Garoppolo


Those are the only real option that fit that mold. Now of course some of them are long shots but each situation is different. I just don't believe that Andrew Berry would move on from Baker and give the keys to an inexperienced QB. I also believe should we move on from Baker and acquire one of those QB's I listed I would also expect us to have a guy developing behind them. Like how The Packers and 49ers are doing right now.

And before people come and make jokes, Matthew Stafford was on that same list last season and The Rams went and got him and now they are Super Bowl contenders.

I also would like to add that the Browns have a better roster than all of those other QB's on that list to so any one of them could elevate us to true contender status with better and more consistent QB play.

Matt Stafford was distinctly underwhelming last night. In a showdown with the first good D he's faced (Tampa Bay thin the back-end the week before) he was the same Matt Stafford we know and love. Do I trust him to win on a contender in January/February? No.