The Cleveland Browns obliterated the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12, sending a strong message to former head coach Hue Jackson, who recently joined their in-state rivals as a special assistant to Marvin Lewis.
No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield has been a revelation ever since taking over as the starter in Week 3 when veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor went down with a concussion. In a fairy-tale first game, Mayfield led the Browns to a win, but his best football has come without Hue Jackson as the Browns head coach.
Mayfield lit up the Bengals in Week 12, sending a clear message to Jackson on the other sideline. He threw four touchdowns just one game after completing 17-of-20 passes for over 10 yards per attempt in a huge Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner didn’t miss a beat after the bye, completing 19-of-26 passes for 258 yards for 9.9 yards per pass attempt, and Mayfield has now thrown just two interceptions in his last five games, which is remarkable for a rookie quarterback.
He also didn’t hide his distaste for Jackson’s decision to join a rival’s coaching staff before the conclusion of the 2018 season, and after he helped dominate Cincinnati, it’s clear that Hue didn’t really have much insight to give.
#Browns Baker Mayfield admitted he didn’t like Hue Jackson defecting to the #Bengals so soon. Gave him a chilly reception pic.twitter.com/hF480gMc7N
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 25, 2018
Mayfield said of Jackson at the press conference (audio above), “It’s just somebody in our locker room asking for us to play for him and then goes to a different team we play twice a year. Everybody can have their spin on it, but that’s just how I feel.”
Those comments from Mayfield are understandable, and he helped prove that Hue both held the Browns back as an offense and didn’t actually give Cincinnati an appreciable edge. The Browns will face the Bengals one more time this season in Week 16, and most observers will expect nothing less than another outpouring of offense from Mayfield and the Browns.
With improved play from Antonio Callaway and the wide receivers and an excellent running back duo, Mayfield is well on his way to having a sensational second half of the 2018 season without Jackson or Todd Haley calling the plays. The Browns have a coaching staff Mayfield and the other players can trust.