Browns: Colin Cowherd crossed a line with his take on Baker Mayfield

Colin Cowherd crossed a line with his recent criticisms of Browns QB Baker Mayfield and it’s time we all admit he has no clue what he’s talking about.

Colin Cowherd crossed a line by insinuating Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield wasn’t a man on his Monday show. While Cowherd has a personal vendetta against Mayfield that dates back to Mayfield’s Oklahoma days, this time he may have gone too far. It’s been proven, by Cowherd a number of times, that he moves the proverbial goalpost in arguments about Mayfield. He lies, claiming in one breath that Mayfield is “undraftable”, then in another (to Mayfield’s face) that he never said that (he did). So Cowherd’s biased takes against Mayfield aren’t new.

This one, however, crossed a line that shows just how vile sports media can get. It wasn’t the only misguided thing he spouted, however.

First, Cowherd said Mayfield had three coaches in three years. He can’t even get the number of head coaches right, it’s four. Not three. Simple math isn’t Cowherd’s forte yet people expect his judgment on Mayfield to hold water?

Second, he says Mayfield is the problem and not the offensive line, which gave up twelve quarterback hits on Sunday. Nor is it the running backs, which have largely been ineffective since Nick Chubb got hurt, with Kareem Hunt averaging just 3.4 yards a carry since. Now you’ll argue that it was against the Colts and the Steelers. Chubb against equally good rush defenses (Ravens and Washington) averaged 5.8 yards a carry. Last year, with a much worse line, only dropped below 4.0 yards a carry six times. Hunt isn’t a top-five, top 10, or even a top 20 running back anymore. Let’s not kid ourselves.

Cowherd goes on to look at Mayfield’s career, 59 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions through Week 6 of the 2020 NFL season. That’s bad? Brett Favre, through 33 games, had 39 interceptions. They’re nearly identical to one another when it comes to accuracy, 62% for Farve, 61% for Mayfield. Favre was sacked 67 times, Mayfield 76.

So if we’re going off of numbers, Mayfield, who is competing with Favre, a top 20 quarterback of all time, is a dud. What does that say for Favre?

Cowherd then talks about “the last two years” and says his numbers are 32 touchdowns and 27 picks. That’s not “two years” by the way, that’s one year and a third. If we’re in January, ok, talk your game. We’re not, however. We’re one-third of the way through the season. He’s had two bad games, and they were also the two games where the offensive line got bullied.

That’s not a coincidence.

The most insulting part though? The part that should make every Cleveland Browns fan in existence boil with anger? The audacious statemen that Mayfield wasn’t a man because of how tall he was.

"“I saw Carson Wentz lose to Baltimore. Carson Wentz looked like a man.….Baker Mayfield looks tiny, he looks like a little boy…”"

This is Cowherd’s M.O., however. He’s the “hot take guy”. The “gives no stats guy”. He’s so dependent on being right that he can’t adjust his perspective lest he is dragged online by people pointing out he’s wrong. Which he is, all the time.

When was the last time, since Bernie Kosar got benched in 1993 have the Browns had a quarterback who was this competent? The answer is never. Mayfield has been a good player for the Browns. The team is 16-19 under him. He came in the year after the Browns went 0-16. The Browns went 1-31 in the two years prior to him. Yet, under him, he’s had two winning seasons as a stater (5-3 in 2018, 4-2 in 2020) and he’s the problem?

Cowherd’s takes are terrible. If you think he’s right here, remember this; he predicted the Jets to host the AFC title game in 2020.

Mayfield may not be a Hall of Famer, but if guys like Alex Smith and Ryan Tannehill have proven anything, it’s that patience is key. Not everyone progresses at the same speed, so stop assuming they should.