By STEVE KING
Is it as simple as Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was trying too hard when he struggled — mightily — in the 14-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday?
I think it is.
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And taking it one step further, is it also as simple as Mayfield was trying too hard other times in his short career when he struggled in games?
I think it is. And I wrote that when it happened then.
Nobody on this team wants to succeed more than Mayfield. It’s been that way since he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Browns. He had always wanted to be a pro quarterback from the time he was growing up, and now here he was given that opportunity and, by golly, he wasn’t going to mess it up. He was going to prove himself, to prove wrong his doubters who have said he is just too short to make it in the league.
Having a fire burn in your belly is, usually, a good thing because it spurs you on every day. It’s the last thing you think about before you go to bed at night, and the first think you think about when you wake up in the morning. But if you let that drive and desire consume you — if you let it eat you up from the inside — then it’s not a good thing. It’s a good thing turned bad. It becomes your demon. You try too hard. And when you try too hard, every mistake forces you to try harder still. You’re not relaxed. You don’t let the game come to you. You keep trying to force things.
That’s why he was off-target against the Vikings, often being too high with his throws. He wasn’t relaxing. He was too jacked up, too excitable.
Mayfield was so accurate in the first two games of the year. That was excellent. But then in trying to be too perfect — to get even better — he kept pushing himself too hard, right into making errors.
He just needs to take a deep breath and chill out.
And when he does — when he does calm down — then his play will improve.
Really. I truly believe that.
Post Game Notes, Game Balls, Snap Counts, Videos and More
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (10.6.21)
Opening statement:
“Going on the road again versus a really good football team. They are 3-1 coming off of two big wins against division opponents. They are doing a really nice job. Offense, defense and special teams, we are going to have our work cut out for us. They are plus-three in turnover margin. They are doing a nice job really on all three sides of the ball with their scheme. They have a bunch of good players. It is going to be a big week of preparation, getting to know these guys and going to school on their schemes and then having some really good days of practice out here.”
On if potential concerns about Browns players who will not participate in practice not being able to play on Sunday:
“With all of those guys, we will see how the week goes. Just being smart about some of those things.”
On if the Browns are ruling out T Jedrick Wills Jr.:
“No.”
On CB Greg Newsome II’s status:
“I think he is the one guy I would rule out – Greg Newsome.”
On if the plan is for LB Anthony Walker Jr. to return on Sunday:
“He is going to practice today. We have to see. With any of these guys coming off of an injury, we just have to see. We have seen them move around in their rehab but definitely want to see the practice football first.”
On the challenges of traveling to the west coast and if that adds extra difficulty to the game:
“I do not think so. It is a nice plane (laughter). It is not like you have someone sitting next to you. We spread out so they do a great job here traveling our guys.”
On describing QB Baker Mayfield’s accuracy drop in the past few weeks:
“You can always point your finger at a few things, but we missed a couple of guys, and we are going to work really hard to make sure we hit them this week. I have seen Baker have great success in games, and I have no doubt that we will work at it this week.”
On if Mayfield is experiencing a mechanical issue:
“All of our guys get graded on their technique every single play. Certainly, at the quarterback position, you want to try and make sure your mechanics are right. Baker does a great job out here working on his technique, and we will just have to continue to do that.”
On if G Joel Bitonio means a lot to the team and Bitonio seeming to be playing well as Bitonio approaches his 100th start:
“Confirmed. All of those things, yes. He is doing a great job. He is playing at a really high level. He is doing a nice job in the run game and the pass game. He is very dependable and playing a very physical brand of football.”
On if he knew Bitonio would be a great fit before being named head coach:
“I went back and watched tape of him when (49ers Head) Coach (Kyle) Shanahan was here with him, and he really fits what we do.”
On potential concerns with WR Odell Beckham Jr. having seven receptions on 16 targets:
“It really is not [a concern] guys. It is a concern any time we do not have a completion, but the amount of balls we are throwing down the field in particular to Odell, I think you have to be realistic about what that completion percentage can be. Now, there are opportunities that we have to do better, and I have to do better. We will work at that, but I feel good about where we are.”
On the Browns should run shorter routes with Beckham to get the ball in Beckham’s hands:
“Ultimately, the answer lies always somewhere in the middle. We are looking to get our good players the ball any which way. We threw Odell a screen. We handed him the ball. Those are always going to be parts of how we think when you are putting together the gameplan.”
On if he is pleased with LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s performance as the role expands:
“Yeah, and I think that is the key there – it is expanding because he is earning that role. He is competing. The more you show our coaches what you can do, the more that we are going to ask you to do. His role will continue to grow.”
On attempting two-point conversions after penalties by the opponent and the benefit of that extra yard:
“It is dependent on a lot of things. It is dependent on the play we have in mind a lot of times. If we do not love the play from the one, we will probably kick it, put it on the kickoff and make sure we kick it nice and high and cover. There will be times – and I think there have already been times – where we have applied it to the kickoff, and there will be times we will go for it because we likely feel good about our play.”
On if there is an advantage to watching an opponent on live TV, referencing the Chargers playing the Raiders on Monday night:
“I do not think so. We prepare based on the tape we have available to us and then we all do some TV scouting and watch it. You get in the office the next morning and watch it again. I thought they played great the other night against a really quality opponent. They played a physical game. For us, we got to see that stadium and find out it is not an indoor stadium – that was news to me (laughter). There is some really good tape on this team, and they have played some really good football. Even the loss that they had was a really close game.”
On his comment about not kicking FGs inside the 30 during the preseason and if that also applies to the regular season:
“All of those instances depend on so many factors. Ultimately, we really, really value seven points versus three. I know that is a difference of four, but we really believe in those sevens because in this game, you typically have to score a bunch of points. We won a game last week 14-7. That is not typical in the NFL. You have to score a bunch of points. It will be dependent on a bunch of factors. If those factors tell us we should take the three points in those instances, we will, but I just think that difference – I know it is four points – it seems is huge.”
On what Chargers OLB Joey Bosa does so well:
“He is very, very slippery and powerful and very good against the run and very good against the pass. His motor never stops. He is an elite player.”
On the Browns protection this season, given the increased number of sacks compared to last season:
“Sack numbers, I need to do a better job. I think three of them have been on fourth down. I need to do a better job there.”
On if T Chris Hubbard may be ready to return this week:
“I think we will see. I think we will see how he does at practice.”
On if Hubbard’s availability impacts the Browns’ decision regarding Wills’ status:
“No.”
On Chargers QB Justin Herbert:
“Great size. Great skillset throwing the ball. Athletic. I think he has good command of what they are doing and what they are asking him to do. He is spreading the ball around to a bunch of their playmakers. He is playing at a really high level.”
On if he has crossed paths with Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley during his coaching career:
“I have not. I have met him a couple of times, but we did not really cross paths. A great coach obviously.”
On if the Chargers seem to take a similar approach regarding fourth-down attempts:
“I think they are definitely playing aggressive. They are coaching aggressive. They had three fourth down [attempts] this past game. They are converting so they are doing a nice job.”
On if there is any discomfort pointing out QBs errors with the team, given the emphasis on accountability:
“No. No. Never. I think all of our guys at every position, they want transparency from their coaches. We point out the good and point out the bad because we want to correct. That is true for every single one of our players.”
On if the Browns point out positives and negatives with the players on Monday morning:
“We do that with the players Monday at 11 o’clock.”
On the balance between saying he needs to call better plays and Mayfield saying he wants to play better:
“We are trying to find a way to win each game. Ultimately, we found a way to get a win last week, a great team win. We have to go on the road and do it again. I just know there are areas that all of us can do better.”
On if Mayfield can pull from past games with lower performances to call on now:
“I understand that it is the quarterback so he gets a lot of the attention. I just think we need to make sure we work real hard here at practice, and I know that we will do that.”
On how the Browns offense being aggressive on fourth down impacts an opponent’s defense:
“Again, it is not just aggressive for the sake of being aggressive. We are trying to be smart and aggressive in a lot of those areas. Those are things we talk about way in advance so it is not just in the moment that you are making decisions. We try to take as much information as we can prior to those moments, and then when those moments come up, use all of the information that we have learned as the game has unfolded. I think any team and any defense, our defense included, understands that there are a bunch of times that you are going to have to stop a team on four downs nowadays.”
On if the Browns will apply any tips with the team to ease the potential impact of playing on the west coast and the time change:
“We have talked about it as a staff. We have a bunch of coaches who have been on east coast time for a lot of their careers so we kind of came up with a plan and make sure that we get out there and have a great night of meetings and make sure the guys are ready to go on Sunday.”
On determining whether the team will travel on Friday or Saturday for the west coast trip this weekend:
“We will go in Saturday. We are not going to go in on Friday.”
On if the Browns discussed whether or not to travel to Los Angeles on Friday or Saturday:
“We talked about it, yeah. The other thing is with the days of COVID, we do not want to spend too long not in our own homes.”
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