The moment Baker Mayfield knew the Browns were going to be good this season

BEREA, Ohio The Browns had Baker Mayfield at sunset.

"I know the Browns have not been bad since the second time I stepped on this franchise," he said Wednesday. "We had a special team from the start, the one we play has nothing to do with this team … The management has put together an excellent group of guys, it's up to us." 39, learn and move on. "

Before Brown's Mayfield No. 1 draft on April 26, they had already traded against Jarvis Landry and Damarious Randall and signed free agents Carlos Hyde, Terrance Mitchell, T.J. Carrie, Chris Smith, Chris Hubbard and Darren Fells. Jamie Collins and Emmanuel Ogbah were recovering from their injuries and Myles Garrett was preparing for an escape season. Three places after Mayfield, the Browns recruited cornerback Denzel Ward.

"People they form in this group, but also the belief that I always had in me (I knew it)," said Mayfield. "I told the NFL when everyone said I was a short quarterback who could not do much, I said that if anyone wanted to I believed in myself to do it, it's something I wear with me and I hope our guys have also believed in themselves. "

Not only did Mayfield daringly say in the phone that "if someone wants to reverse the situation, it would be me," he said. They are very close. They have the good pieces. I think that they just need a guy, a quarter to make a difference. "

And why did he have the impression that he was the ideal man for this job?

"Precision, I can do any throwing," he said. "Winning is the most important, but the way I managed to get my guys around me to play, not just the offensive players, the 10 guys, but the defensive players, special teams." that I bring, the passion that I bring, is contagious.You can ask anyone on this staff from Oklahoma.I'm what i bring at the table. "

Now, three games in the Baker Mayfield era, his words have proved prophetic. The Browns were closer than many thought, and it was exactly what they needed.

"Baker, he's a playmaker, dude," said Rashard Higgins, who is expected to spend 2 to 4 weeks due to a sprain at the MCL, but expecting to be back after next week. "He knows how to win, some have had it, some do not, for Baker to go in as he did and bring us where we are now is incredible." Hat to him. future. "

Higgins noted that Mayfield "is not all pissed off." He's about to kiss him right now and he's living for moments like this. has happened that he's been in the NFL He's a baller He knows how to win and we are with him 100%. "

Mayfield has already turned the Factory of Sadness into a Factory of Gladness, sending fans home with hope and joy after the victories of the Jets and Ravens. He has another chance this week, with the Chargers 3-2 and dreaded quarterback Philip Rivers (13 touchdowns, two interceptions, the third in the NFL with a score of 116.4) in town.

"That's what we hope for," said Mayfield. "We feed ourselves with the energy of the crowd, our defense too, we have to continue in this way, and people have to be afraid to come in. It has to be so strong that they can not communicate, is a difficult place where an offense must come in. It must be exciting when our offense goes out to keep the crowd from getting in. Keep building momentum. Keep stacking wins. "

Mayfield knows that he can not cry about inverted conversions in third gear or missed kicks that dug a 2-2-1 hole for the Browns.

"This is a week away," he said. "We went through the first four games of the season.

"Now we're in the second quarter, we're looking at a chance to score 2-0, and if you win every quarter, you're looking at a great opportunity to go in the playoffs. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to win the division and play in the playoffs, but you will not do it unless you take it one week at a time. "

The fact that the Browns were denied some victories scraped them and scratched them out of this hole.

"Yeah, I would say yes, especially with the games we've had so far in our division," said linebacker Joe Schobert. "You can just see that it's achievable … The North Division Championship is definitely the main driver for a lot of people."

Randall said on Wednesday that the Browns were as good as his playoff teams in Green Bay and were running for the job this year. His teammates are in agreement.

"Absolutely, I know we are," said Higgins. "We have one of the best defenses, and the offensive is also major, people tend to sleep on us, but we will wake them up."

But the playoffs as a legitimate possibility?

"Absolutely," says Higgins. "It's the only thing I think about."