Cleveland Browns: 5 reasons winning streak stays alive vs Dolphins

2. Baker playing better

Baker Mayfield‘s teammates believe the quarterback has turned the corner from a brutal sophomore slump, which, frankly, was hard to watch.

Mayfield’s been much better at protecting the ball since the Bye Week and he’s played four top-0 defenses (Pats, Broncos, Buffalo, Pittsburgh). In the three weeks since the Bye, Mayfield’s completed 90 of 143 passes for 898 yards.

He’s thrown for six touchdowns, cashing in a seventh score on a 1-yard sneak. His only interception was that boondoggle of a flip to the Patriots defensive line, but the entire New England game was a debacle.

In truth, these post-Bye numbers aren’t elite, but they are a sign that Mayfield is back trending in the right direction. For the season, he’s thrown for 11 touchdowns against 12 picks, going for 2,394 yards. That’s good enough for a 76.8 rating.

Fans and media alike propped up the expectations on this team around Mayfield. After setting the rookie record for passing touchdowns in a season, nobody thought Mayfield would struggle as he did earlier in the season. If the Browns faced ebbs, the expectation was that Mayfield would lift the team out of any funk.

It didn’t happen in the first two months, but perhaps we’re watching it now. The Dolphins aren’t a good team and Mayfield should be in store for another good game as the Browns seek to string together their third win in a row.