Fansided

How did each NFL team grade out now that the Super Bowl is over?

By Rucker Haringey

KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 12: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs rolls out on a pass play in the AFC Divisional Playoff against the Indianapolis Colts at Arrowhead Stadium on January 12, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 12: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs rolls out on a pass play in the AFC Divisional Playoff against the Indianapolis Colts at Arrowhead Stadium on January 12, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 30, 2018: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns high-fives wide receiver Jarvis Landry #80 after a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter of a game against the Baltimore Ravens on December 30, 2018 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore won 26-24. (Photo by: 2018 Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 30, 2018: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns high-fives wide receiver Jarvis Landry #80 after a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter of a game against the Baltimore Ravens on December 30, 2018 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore won 26-24. (Photo by: 2018 Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Browns-A

We were tempted to give the Browns an A+ simply as a product of moving on from Hue Jackson, but truthfully there are more encouraging things to discuss for Browns fans. The emergence of Baker Mayfield as a quarterback the franchise can build around is definitely cause for optimism in northeast Ohio.

Building a quality offense around a rookie quarterback isn’t easy, but it’s precisely what the Browns managed to do. Mayfield certainly held up his end of the bargain by completing just under 64% of his passes and throwing for 27 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions. A few savvy offseason additions combined with natural progression from Mayfield could make this a top-10 offense next season.

Unfortunately, things on the other side of the ball weren’t quite as good. The defense’s inability to stop opponents was the real reason Cleveland finished at 7-8-1. Finishing 25th in the NFL against the pass and 28th against the run is a really good recipe for giving up lots of points. The Browns have some interesting pieces on defense, but the group has a long way to go before it becomes a league average unit.

Despite the defensive issues, Browns fans have every right to feel good about the future of their franchise based on the results of the 2018 regular season. Cleveland should enter 2019 with legitimate playoff aspirations for the first time in quite a while.

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