Baker Mayfield: Fire The Cannons

[bob2the2nd]

Baker 2nd after Brady in DYAR on footballoutsiders' Quick Reads.

Passing offense currently 16th in DVOA; immediately above are ARI, SF, MIA, NO, and immediately below are DET, ATL, PIT, IND, BAL., as surprising as some of those might look - we should totally trade for Matt Ryan, and break the bank on draft picks, because of the dead cap ATL would have to eat.

this shouldnt be surprising. Baker destroyed in 2018 on quick reads and his entire offense in OU was based on quick reads.

 

[CBBI]

 

[Henry Tuttle]

I'm no redzone expert but 13 TDs on 25 attempts seems rather good.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I'm no redzone expert but 13 TDs on 25 attempts seems rather good.

If we only ever had the ball in the red zone Baker would be the greatest QB of all time.

 

[CBBI]

If we only ever had the ball in the red zone Baker would be the greatest QB of all time.

How bad was Freddie Kitchens?

Baker in the Red Zone in 2018: 64.8% completions, 20 TD, 0 INT, 115.7 QB rating
Baker in the Red Zone in 2020: 72.0% completions, 13 TD, 0 INT, 122.2 QB rating

Baker in the Red Zone in 2019: 40.5% completions, 15 TD, 3 INT, 71.1 QB rating

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

How bad was Freddie Kitchens?

Baker in the Red Zone in 2018: 64.8% completions, 20 TD, 0 INT, 115.7 QB rating
Baker in the Red Zone in 2020: 72.0% completions, 13 TD, 0 INT, 122.2 QB rating

Baker in the Red Zone in 2019: 40.5% completions, 15 TD, 3 INT, 71.1 QB rating

Monken doesn't get off scot-free either.

 

[NorthCoastBias]

 

[NorthCoastBias]

 

[Marcus]

Honestly, I’m thrilled that the Browns are now beating teams they should be beating. This generally hasn’t happened since they came back.

That being said, they’ll definitely need to take the leap next year and start beating playoff contenders if they want to be taken seriously as anything more than just a fringe playoff team. I don’t think it happens this year for the most part, but the foundation is there just by virtue of the fact that they’ve started to establish an offensive identity and a positive, winning locker room culture. Indianapolis was a good start, and I’d consider it a huge success this year if they’re able to at least have a .500 division record.

 

[Triplethreat]

........ lending some credence to the theory.

 

[Douglar]

........ lending some credence to the theory.

So he's saying that the Browns are less predictable without Beckham because Baker was forcing the ball?

Ahhhh, maybe, but if that's all it was, it seems like Coach could have easily stepped in and said "OBJ, I need to to play decoy for a bit today", having a decoy would have been more effective than losing him, and defenses would have started getting carved up until they adjusted. Not sure I can blame the defenses.

 

[Triplethreat]

So he's saying that the Browns are less predictable without Beckham because Baker was forcing the ball?

Ahhhh, maybe, but if that's all it was, it seems like Coach could have easily stepped in and said "OBJ, I need to to play decoy for a bit today", having a decoy would have been more effective than losing him, and defenses would have started getting carved up until they adjusted. Not sure I can blame the defenses.

Thing is you need to keep Beckham happy....

In think the biggest point to take away is no matter how teams are playing the Browns, Baker's brain and our gameplan is telling him he needs to throw it O'dell's way early and often to keep him happy..

It's been a mental block thing.

 

[*THE ORIGINAL*]

Thing is you need to keep Beckham happy....

In think the biggest point to take away is no matter how teams are playing the Browns, Baker's brain and our gameplan is telling him he needs to throw it O'dell's way early and often to keep him happy..

It's been a mental block thing.

I was super pumped when we made the trade for Odell, but now I'm also in the group that thinks Baker and this offense can be better without him.
Is it possible it wasn't 100% Baker forcing it to OBJ? And this is the ONE thing Stefanski has done wrong since getting here?
I remember early in the season the coaches telling Baker not to worry about getting the ball to OBJ, that was their job to spread the ball around. Can a QB truly feel the freedom to go through his progressions when he knows the play that was called was designed to get the ball to OBJ?
Stefanski has been amazing so far in my eyes, but he could have easily been caught up in trying to keep OBJ happy as well.
I just think without OBJ, it frees up both Stefanski and Baker to just play football.
Stefanski can call the best play for down and distance and not just a play for Odell because it's the 2nd quarter and he still doesn't have a catch.
Baker can get the play call, read the defense, and find the open guy. Doesn't matter who it is.

 

[TyGuy]

Greg McElroy is making similar comments here that have been brought up. "Odell improvises and leaves his qb out to dry" "Baker is bypassing free first downs to try and get Odell his touches."

 

[Randolphkeys]

In the interest of accuracy, I'd add that this was an ESPN segment where one side says something outrageous and the other talking heads counter the outrageous statement... you know, that thing they have been doing for ratings the past 25+ years.

Here is a more full representation of the discussion:

Baker Mayfield, Browns ‘better’ without Odell Beckham Jr. says ESPN analyst

OBJ will miss the rest of the NFL season with a torn ACL.

www.cleveland.com