OF QUARTERBACKS, BAKER, WINNING IN PITTSBURGH

By STEVE KING

Advanced Trainer/Trainette @ $26.99 with code TRAINER26

To the surprise of absolutely no one – since that is exactly what they’re supposed to do – the Browns took a good, long look at all of their positions, and position areas, as they made moves to get down to the regular-season roster limit of 53 by 4 p.m. Saturday.

That’s important. It is certainly important. There can be no denying that.

But the most important position is, of course, quarterback. It’s the most important position in team sports, even more so than pitcher in baseball.

So, then, the Browns will rise or fall – hopefully, rise, but we’ll see – on their quarterback, and not Case Keenum, either, for goodness sake.

I’m talking about, obviously, Baker Mayfield.

Make no mistake about it, if these Browns are going to have a chance to get to where they want to go, not just this season but for the long run, then Mayfield has to play well. No, make that he has to be outstanding.

And what does “be outstanding” mean?

That he has to win games, both home and on the road. He has to beat the teams he and the Browns are supposed to beat, and he has to at least split with the best teams, especially within the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

And as for the Steelers, he has to beat them twice – this season, especially in Pittsburgh.

That – the one at Heinz Field — is the biggest game of the year for the Browns. Winning in Pittsburgh has dogged them since forever, and if they can do that this year, then it will be a great sign that they – and Mayfield – have to be taken seriously.

No excuses.

None.

Zero.

Win in Pittsburgh, whether it’s 3-2 or 51-50, whether they play their best, or not, and whether there is a full house there, no fans or some number in between. It doesn’t matter, not one bit – none of it. No one will care.

Just get it done. End of statement.

Are you listening, Browns, and particularly Baker Mayfield?

Well, are you?!!

9-5-20

Since this is their first year working together, we don’t know much about it yet, but we’ll learn a whole lot more about what General Manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski value in their players, and team, with the moves they made to get the Browns down to the regular-season roster limit of 53.

That’s the real fun about this time of year, trying to figure it all out, especially with new regimes like the one the Browns have.

Most football people are about the same in that they try to find players they can count on, and, with the GMs, don’t cost a lot. But at the same time, we’re all different, and unique, so Berry and Stefanski have their own particular likes and dislikes.

As part of that, then, what – who – is the prototypical Brown? What does he look like? What are his qualities? How tall is he? How much does he weigh? How old is he? Where did he play – and how did he play – in college? How did he come into the NFL? What has he done as a pro? How did the Browns acquire him?

The most interesting moves may well be at wide receiver. The Browns have several players who stack up pretty much the same. So, of those players, who gets the edge? Or do they all make it?

Another part of analyzing the Berry and Stefanski team is what they do following the cutdowns, waiving players who for a brief time made the squad to make room for players they sign from other teams’ cutdown lists.

Anyway, with the “final” cutdowns, the regular season – and its opening – will come much more squarely into focus. Then it will get serious. Oh, it still will be fun, but from there on, every single thing will matter. It will be part of the story of the season.