Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield needs signature win vs Cowboys

Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield needs a signature win vs the Dallas Cowboys.

If Baker Mayfield is a franchise quarterback, the time to flash that ability would be Sunday, as the Cleveland Browns are underdogs to the Dallas Cowboys.

The pressure’s on Mayfield, and it should be. A victory moves the Browns to 3-1. The Browns are never 3-1. It’s happened once since 1999–back in 2001. We’ve had three presidents since then. More president’s than 3-1 starts? Some of these Browns statistics are so ridiculous they’re hard to believe.

The game matters then Mayfield. The 2018 No. 1 pick becomes eligible for an extension after the season. Is he just a game manager capable of thriving in Kevin Stefanski’s system, or can he make the throws to put the Browns on the top?

We should get to find out against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ high-powered offense. They’re not the league’s hottest team at 1-2, but they should have no problem winning a hapless NFC East. Plus, it’s the Cowboys, the Star, Jerry Jones, that massive stadium.

Mayfield has some nice wins in his career, but it’s been a while. Going to Jerry’s World and winning? That draws eyeballs.

This isn’t an advocation for Kevin Stefanski to go Freddie and throw 50 times from an empty set at the goal line. No, taking away carries from Nick Chubb isn’t the answer. Feed the NFL’s best back as much as you need.

Kareem Hunt is questionable heading into the game, so the dual threat of Chubb and Hunt might not be available, but the Cowboys have no problem scoring points. Dallas isn’t Cincinnati or Washington or the Jets.

Mayfield will probably be tasked with lifting up the team at some point. He’s thrown 23 passes in each of the past two weeks, while Chubb and Hunt and bowled over defenses.

If the Browns are going to have a shot, Mayfield may be asked to throw the ball 30-35 times, and that’s OK. In fact, it’s kind of exiting. We saw glimpses of his franchise-quarterback potential as a rookie. It’s why the fan base was excited about him coming out of Oklahoma.

At some point, the Browns are going to have to make a decision on Mayfield, who’s eligible to be offered a contract extension at season’s end and you don’t empty out the vault for a game manager.

A Mayfield-led win in his home state against “America’s Team” makes for a strong statement when it comes to the Cleveland Browns, and it will mean even more if it has Mayfield’s signature on it.