CLEVELAND 鈥� At some point, Baker Mayfield was going to assume Cleveland鈥檚 starting job and become the franchise quarterback, the future.
That moment arrived Thursday night.
His days as a backup are over.
Throwing a 14-yard dart to complete his first pass, Mayfield replaced an injured Tyrod Taylor and rallied the Browns from a two-touchdown deficit for a 21-17 win over the New York Jets to end Cleveland鈥檚 19-game winless streak 鈥� the NFL鈥檚 second-longest in 48 years.
Baker Mayfield rallies Browns to 1st win since 2016
鈥� Cleveland Browns (@Browns)
Game Recap 禄
Mayfield erased any doubts about why the Browns selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in this year鈥檚 draft with a performance that included him catching a 2-point conversion. The undersized and overlooked kid from Texas who walked on at two colleges, won a Heisman Trophy and became one of college football biggest stars, had some NFL debut.
鈥淗e鈥檚 really special,鈥� Browns receiver Jarvis Landry said. 鈥淗e took advantage of the moment and the opportunity. We always have seen him make these plays. As far back as when the Baker Mayfield story started, he has always made these types of plays. It is awesome to be a part of it.鈥�
Mayfield came in after Taylor sustained a concussion late in the first half and led the Browns (1-1-1) on four scoring drives 鈥� the last a 15-play, 75-yarder capped by Carlos Hyde鈥檚 1-yard TD run 鈥� and Cleveland鈥檚 defence intercepted two passes by Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold in the fourth quarter to seal the team鈥檚 first win since Dec. 24, 2016.
Following the game, jubilant Browns fans walking down the ramps of FirstEnergy Stadium chanted 鈥淏a-ker, May-field鈥� at the top of their lungs.
Their new hero took it all in stride.
鈥淚 have just been waiting for my moment,鈥� said Mayfield, who completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards. 鈥淚 have been patient. I have been in a good opportunity, put in a good situation with the guys around me 鈥� veteran QBs and great coaches that I can learn from. I was never whining or complaining about playing time. I just want the team to win, no matter what the cost is.鈥�
The Browns wanted to bring Mayfield along slowly by having him watch and learn behind Taylor.
That plan is about to be scrapped.
Although Cleveland coach Hue Jackson wouldn鈥檛 commit to Mayfield as his starter going forward, the choice is obvious. Mayfield isn鈥檛 your average rookie quarterback and it鈥檚 clear he鈥檚 as ready as he can possibly be.
鈥淚 am not surprised by any throws that this young man makes,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淗e does things in practice that I just go, 鈥極h, my gosh.鈥� Timing. Timing is everything. The right time. The right situation. You can鈥檛 deny the talent. You can鈥檛 deny what he is able to do. He showed that tonight.
鈥淭hat is why we drafted him. He has that magnetism. He has it. He is still a young player. He has a lot of work to do. He has got to keep working. Tonight is his night. It was his coming out party.鈥�
The Canadian Press
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