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CLEVELAND, Ohio – Doodles in my notebook as the Browns take a stunning 38-7 halftime lead over Tennessee.
1. The Browns saw the best of Baker Mayfield in the first half of their biggest game of the year so far this season. Coach Kevin Stefanski decided to attack Tennessee from the air, rather than tossing the ball like most people (including the Titans) expected.
2. The racing game was there, but the story was how the Browns performed models and used fake Mayfield pumps to create wide open receivers. And Mayfield was confident and precise with his passes, diffusing the ball all over the pitch. He threw at eight different receivers in the first half. One of them was at Kendall Lamm, a back-up offensive tackle near the goal line. It was a trick game for a TD.
3. The Browns also had a play where Jarvis Landry got the ball on a backhand and then threw a 6-yard pass to Mayfield. On top of that, Tennessee was accused of abusing the smuggler … and the smuggler was Landry. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a non-QB take a penalty for the passer.
4. Stefanski implemented several cheats for this game, and they worked. Donovan Peoples-Jones caught a 75-yard TD pass when he was the only receiver on the field for the Browns. The Browns had running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt on the field, as well as two tight ends. Mayfield faked the transfer to Hunt, then faked Jones. The defender froze, Peoples ran deep and was wide open. Landing!
5. Mayfield had 20 of 25 passes for 290 yards and 4 TD passes. The offensive line protected him well. He was so confident. And the Browns ‘offense cut the Titans’ defense, which looked confused by half.
6. Landry caught eight passes for 62 yards and a touchdown. Rashard Higgins was great with five catches for 88 yards. Nick Chubb had 40 yards on 12 carries.
7. The Browns had a great first practice, Mayfield completing 4 of 5 assists. He should have had a TD pass to Peoples-Jones, but the rookie gave it up. On this same series, Rashard Higgins jumped offside. They settled for a 27-yard field goal from Cody Parkey. But it was a missed opportunity.
8. At that point, it looked like the Browns might come back and regret it. But the Browns then scored TD on their next FIVE possessions. That’s right, FIVE possessions, FIVE hit!
9. The Browns defense made a huge play in the first quarter when Sheldon Richardson hit the ball out of Derrick Henry’s hands. The ball rolled loose and was retrieved by Cleveland safety Karl Joseph. It was the Tennessee star’s first fumble in 375 possessions.
10. This came after the Browns defense stopped Henry on a fourth and one run in the Titans’ first possession. In the first quarter, the Browns’ defense was superb. As the attack continued to score, the Titans were demoralized. It was one of the most notable first half performances since the Browns returned in 1999. Heck, 38 points is a franchise record for the half.
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