The Cleveland Browns have the closest thing to a “gimmie-game” in the world against the New York Jets but these are the three things they need to do to win.
The Cleveland Browns will have the opportunity to clinch their 11th win and with some expected help, their first playoff appearance in 13 years on Sunday. All they need to do is avoid the trap that is the New York Jets.
The Browns have the biggest gimmie game on the calendar and that just means that the Browns are poised to stumble. After all, if the Rams could get duped by the Jets (and the Seahawks lost a gimmie to the Giants), then why do we think the Browns can’t stumble all the same?
The Browns have to do these three things to ensure the Jets don’t steal a win from the good guys.
Let Baker Mayfield Loose
Baker Mayfield is chasing down several records for the Cleveland Browns. He’s the only player in Browns’ history to throw 400 attempts in a season and complete higher than 62%. He’s already set the record once before during his rookie year, where he threw 468 passes and completed 63.8% of them. A franchise record. Otto Graham holds the best completion percentage with 200 or more passes, 64.7. Charlie Frye has the record for 300 and up. While Bernie Kozar, with 155 passes attempted, holds the record at 66.5%. Though you could argue that anything less than Graham’s seasonal output should be considered too few to qualify.
Mayfield could set the record for 400 and more attempts in a year, and if he plays crazy over the next two games, could set the franchise record for a single season, regardless of attempts.
The other stat he’s chasing down is the number of touchdowns thrown in a single season. Brian Sipe has the record at 30 touchdowns. Mayfield sits at just five behind, with 25 for 2020. If he throws six touchdowns over the next two games, and you know he scores in bunches, then he’ll set a new franchise record. Not bad for a guy who many had written off after Week 1.