Cleveland blew out visiting Miami, 41-24, in a fun victory at FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 12. Here are three things that stood out while watching the Browns roll to their third victory in a row.
Baker Mayfield is back, baby!
Mayfield continued to play very well since the bye week. He lit up the Miami defense for 327 passing yards and three TDs. All of those touchdowns came in the first half as the Browns rolled to a 28-0 lead.
At one point, Mayfield was 11-for-13 for 168 yards and 3 TDs. He finished the first half 16-for-18 and in complete control of the offense.
He had but one bad throw, an interception that was behind and too hot for Jarvis Landry on a quick slant and was intercepted. But he often stood in the pocket and didn’t see ghosts, standing tall and delivering strikes all over the field. The INT mired a long streak without a turnover dating back to the Patriots game in Week 8, but Mayfield remains on fire lately.
Sweet revenge for Jarvis Landry
When the Browns traded for Landry back before the 2018 season, it seemed crazy the Dolphins were willing to give up such a prolific receiver. Miami gave away Landry for draft picks that netted the Dolphins a backup running back, Myles Gaskin.
Landry was classy in his departure, but it clearly bothered “Juice” the Dolphins sold him off for peanuts rather than paying him for his Pro Bowl production. He exacted some revenge on Sunday.
Landry caught 10 passes for 148 yards and two TDs against his old team. Mayfield kept feeding him the ball and the Dolphins had no answers. His Browns teammates had no complaints, either.
Way to go, Landry!
The shorthanded defense survived
No Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon, Larry Ogunjobi or Morgan Burnett? No problem. Well, not much of one anyway.
Missing three normal starters up front and with starting safety Burnett on I.R., the Browns turned to several unproven commodities. Guys like Sione Takitaki (two tackles), Porter Gustin (a sack in his Browns debut) and Bryan Cox (three tackles including a TFL) stepped up. T.J. Carrie played his best game of the season.
Then there’s the two stalwarts from the front six, Joe Schobert and Sheldon Richardson. Schobert picked off two passes for the second week in a row, while Richardson absolutely dominated the Dolphins with two sacks, a forced fumble, a PD and several QB pressures.
Granted the Dolphins aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, but the depleted Browns defense played very well.