3 worst plays from Baker Mayfield’s dreadful Week 1

Baker Mayfield’s been bad, to say the least. But what were his worst plays against the Baltimore Ravens?

With Mayfield expected to take a major jump in 2020, a rough Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens is bound to lead to overreactions from fans and pundits alike. While it’s unfair to call Baker a bust at this juncture, or even state emphatically that he’ll have a bad season, his opening performance against the Ravens inspired little to no confidence about his immediate future.

Cleveland’s invested heavily in weapons for Mayfield, and they still have plenty of cap space left over. Unfortunately, they haven’t considered that they might have taken the wrong signal-caller. Betting on the wrong horse, per say, is common in Cleveland. Here’s to hoping Mayfield doesn’t become the next name added to the proverbial jersey of failed Browns quarterbacks, but for those looking to dig a little deeper into his decision-making against a very capable Ravens secondary, we’ve picked out the very worst of his Week 1 dud.

1. Flushed out of the pocket

Mayfield checked out at a certain point, perhaps when he was being chased by three Ravens defenders. It’s not surprising, given Cleveland was down 24-6 at the time. Baker’s prowess under pressure is meant to be a strength of his, but the last season-plus he’s lacked the confidence to use his mobility to his advantage. He’s flushed from the pocket far too easily, and rather than getting rid of the ball or extending the play, he booked it towards the sideline with no real plan of action. Either Baker’s weapons don’t understand his play-style or this isn’t something they’re accustomed to seeing in practice. Either way, it represents a stunning lack of communication and mobility that Browns fans should be worried about long-term.