Baker Mayfield eats, it’s Kevin Stefanski’s fault

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Baker Mayfield takes him to the chin after the loss of the Browns.

I would trust an analyst to explain what is happening on the screen. Especially someone like Charles Davis, who is widely respected for doing this job for many years. So when Davis, who was a defensive back himself, points out that the Browns have games where no one opens; how’s it going on Baker Mayfield and not Kevin Stefanski?

Davis is literally showing that the Browns ‘receiving options are completely taken away by the Patriots’ superb pass defense. Still, is it on Mayfield? Myles Garrett called the coaches out for not making any adjustments, and somehow the lack of production is on Mayfield?

If coaches can’t put players in positions to be successful, how can you blame them for coaching failures?

The Browns are a mess offensively, and many point to Kevin Stefanski’s game planning as to why, yet and for some crazy reason they think Mayfield is immune to Stefanski’s mistakes. That he should be able to succeed where Stefanski failed. They’ve adhered to the hot-catch principle that a quarterback is supposed to be successful. Never mind that Mayfield is currently playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the game (3rd in the league with 30 sacks). Never mind that he doesn’t have offensive playmakers who can regularly step up and make plays when defenses get stuck on the roads.

This falls on Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry. Who, instead of taking responsibility and silencing the noise, lets it go on. Mayfield is just supposed to want the team to score, apparently.

Except that’s not how it works. Every player in the history of the game who has ever made it as a quarterback has had either an elite head coach or a crop of elite weapons around them.

Mayfield, by fans’ own admission, does not have an elite passer and does not have an elite game caller. So what is he supposed to do, force passes to guys with a history of drops?

David Njoku is giving up everything but bad habits, and people think his one good game was proof of what he is. Jarvis Landry’s hip injury two years ago turned out to be what we all feared, a career-changing injury. He’s slower than ever and isn’t even reliable enough to just catch passes. Austin Hooper is largely inconsistent. Harrison Bryant is either a bad player who is used in a limited way due to his disabilities or he is mismanaged by poor training. Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins are top-down options offensively and arguably his most reliable receiver, Kareem Hunt, has been on the set for half of the season.

Still, is Mayfield just supposed to want the team to score? Is he supposed to plot routes for the players and then catch the ball himself?

The fault for the passing game is Kevin Stefanski, not Baker Mayfield

Let us remember certain things; Mayfield was extremely precise in 2021. Mayfield does not return the ball (four interceptions). Mayfield has proven he can start in the NFL a few dozen times already. Mayfield has a broken and torn shoulder. Mayfield is playing behind a bad offensive line. Mayfield was in the top five for longest average passes in the NFL. He does everything without any Pro Bowl talent. Mayfield also has a 95.7 quarterback rating.

Obviously, the problem is not Mayfield.

Remember Josh Allen was considered a disaster as a sophomore, then he got an elite wide receiver in Stefon Diggs; then he became a Pro Bowler. The Cowboys and their fans didn’t think Dak Prescott could lead a team, and then they got Amari Cooper (then CeeDee Lamb). These players have changed the perception of their quarterback.

When Landry was healthy, Mayfield looked great. When he was not in good health, Mayfield looked very average. Why? No quarterback succeeds without talent around them. The first Matt Ryan had Julio Jones, Peyton Manning had three Hall of Famers in Indianapolis, Tom Brady had… everyone. Ben Roethlisberger had at least two Hall of Fame members (Hines Ward and Antonio Bryant) and a group of Pro Bowlers. Ditto with Jim Kelly, John Elway, Steve Young, Joe Montana, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson. You name the quarterback, and they had a great player around him.

Mayfield has Nick Chubb, a great option, but it has been for the past two years. He needs help and he’s not getting it.

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