5 Cleveland Browns whose stock are down after Week 7’s close call vs the Bengals.
There’s still plenty to celebrate after the Cleveland Browns came from behind to stave off the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7.
Baker Mayfield set the franchise record for completions, while Myles Garrett also put his name in the record books by recording a sack in his sixth-straight game.
There was plenty of good to go around, as the Browns rebounded, on the road, against a team that looked hungry for a win.
But if Buzz Killington were here, he’d argue that the Browns are closer to playing at the Bengals level, than that of the Steelers or Steelers.
While that point may be debatable, the Bengals played like a contender because quarterback Joe Burrow continues to get better. The rookie played like a franchise quarterback against the Browns, as his shootout with Baker Mayfield reminded everyone of the old days, when Bernie Kosar vs Boomer Esiason was the hottest ticket in the old AFC Central.
While the Browns got the victory, and there’s plenty of celebrate, these five players, unfortunately, saw their stocks go down.
1. Olivier Vernon
The obvious strike against Olivier Vernon was when he tried to pick up the fumble forced by Myles Garrett after his hit on Joe Burrow. Vernon promptly missed and fell to the turf.
Fortunately, Ronnie Harrison was there to save the ball from going out of bounds.
As for the rest of the game, there wasn’t much of an impact to be felt from the veteran. If Myles Garrett wasn’t pressuring quarterback, nobody on the line was getting into the backfield, and that includes Vernon.
Vernon’s serviceable and at times plays well, but who the Browns currently employ is nothing like what the Steelers do in Pittsburgh. T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree were a nightmare on seemingly every play last week.
Garrett’s doing his part, but the production just isn’t there from Vernon.
His play also shines a light on the Browns missing out, yet again, on edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who was traded to the Ravens. Think Baltimore’s defense was tough before they acquired Ngakoue? The re-match could be a disaster.
2. Terrance Mitchell
“Money” Mitch has been a solid replacement filing in for Greedy Williams, who’s been out since Training Camp.
But Cincinnati was one to forget Cleveland’s corner.
Mitchell dropped the easiest interception attempt he’ll ever get early in the third quarter. Burrow didn’t waste the second chance, cashing in on a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins minutes later to give the Bengals the lead.
Mitchell also had a glaring missed tackle on that 12-yard first-down run from Joe Burrow, which set the Bengals up at Cleveland’s 16-yard line.
This one was definitely one to forget for the veteran, but thankfully, Denzel Ward played like one of the defensive backs in the league, as his stock was sent soaring in victory.
3. B.J. Goodson
Denzel Ward saved the Browns by tipping a Joe Burrow pass on Cincinnati’s first possession with the Bengals threatening to score.
B.J. Goodson was the beneficiary of the deflation, as the ball fell into hands. Unfortunately, Goodson decided to run the ball out of the end zone.
And nope, the veteran doesn’t run a 4.3 40, so of course Cincinnati was going to pull him down, especially since he expressed hesitation over whether he should run the ball out of the end zone.
His decision put Cleveland inside their own 10. The decision was made worse after Mayfield threw an interception that set up the Bengals’ first touchdown of the game.
On the aforementioned touchdown to Higgins, Goodson was one of several Browns who all converged on the receiver and missed a tackle (Sheldrick Redwine and Wilson being the others).
4. Andrew Sendejo
With the NFL rocketing toward its trade deadline Nov. 3, the expectation is the Browns will make a trade to improve the position, as Andrew Sendejo continues to be a liability.
The glaring mistake in Week 7 happened late in the game, when Burrow threw a short pass to Gio Bernard, who beat out Sendejo to break the plan of the goal line and give the Bengals the lead with just over a minute remaining.
With Sendejo getting beat weekly, the play served as a reminder that Cleveland lacks speed at the position. Of course, Sendejo as a starter wasn’t supposed to happen, but it became a reality following a season ending injury to Grant Delpit during training camp.
Ronnie Harrison got the start at strong safety in this one and had a key fumble recovery following Myles Garrett’s strip sack of Burrow. Sheldrick Redwine was a trio of Browns who missed a tackle on Tee Higgins’ 16-yard touchdown.
5. OBJ
Odell Beckham’s stock isn’t down because he’s injured. I have no doubt he’ll rehab and be back as good as new.
But the truth is on the turf: Baker Mayfield is better without Beckham on the field.
This shouldn’t be a controversial statement. You’ve watched all the games. Which Mayfield would you want? The guy who set the rookie record for touchdown passes in a season when Breshard Perriman as his big target, or the Baker who looks locked into forcing the ball to his big-name, high priced receiver?
It’s really the easiest sports question you’ll answer this year.
It stinks OBJ went out that way. Nobody wants to see any player leaving the field with an injury.
But the truth is, after he left, Mayfield played his best game as a Brown, completing 22 of 23 passes with five, I repeat, FIVE touchdown passes.
Mayfield looked free, like the Heisman winning quarterback at Oklahoma that John Dorsey bet on with the No. 1 pick. There was no need to force anything, he threw to teammates who were open. Rashard Higgins caught all six of his targets and had 110 yards receiving.
Donovan Peoples-Jones didn’t have.a catch entering this game. He caught all three of his targets, including the game winning touchdown.
Truthfully, Beckham’s future in Cleveland was already in doubt, as paying two receivers (OBJ and Landry) a combined $30 million would seem to go against everything analytics is about.