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The Cleveland Browns are Baker's Mayfield's team. There is no denying that.
He's gotten off the run in the first half of the year NFL has been in his first run since 2016, and put up 40 points on the road in his first NFL start and finish Cleveland's rut of 36 straight Los Baltimore by Baltimore in overtime in his first home. He's done with a unique style and a flair and a reach beyond his years. There are going to be hiccups along the way, but the kid continues to inspire you.
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Over the weekend Browns coordinator Todd Haley told me about how, after getting ready for the night and getting started early in Mayfield's first start, at Oakland, the youngster took the lead and called the veterans over and over again. coached them up and then went out and scored on three straight drives. It was just a snippet of the way coaches are already willing to delegate to him at times, and teammates continue to galvanize around him. And that, combined with his playmaking ability on the field, has the Browns poised to be more of a factor in the AFC North than they have been more than us can remember.
"That reputation of being a real leader, and guys gravitating to him, that's real," Haley told me. "I saw it going all the way to our workout with him at Oklahoma."
Like many, Haley wondered if the mythology of Mayfield was getting a little overblown during the pre-draft process – until he watched Mayfield in his own environment in the Sooners' offices and practice field. "He was doing this little whistle," Haley explained. "And all the guys are already warming up to be ready to go to the wallets and they're ready to go to the wall."
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The Browns, like every other quarterback-needy team, made their pilgrimage to Norman, Oklahoma to work Mayfield out. It is a grinding process and one that gets monotonous for its teammates, who are needed there to help facilitate the drills (especially those who are not drafted themselves). But the Sooners were out in force through the offseason and eager to make their quarterback look as good as they could.
"That day was really kind of impressive," Haley said, "and something I took note of when you see that kind of relationship and subtle leadership, whatever he needed, he was probably doing it for the rest of the time, and they were all there, and they were already loosened up when he got there. waiting for them to be here and they are doing something about it.
Mayfield is already eliciting the same kind of response from the Browns. Given the depth of this organization, it is hard to get caught up in the hype and hysteria. Mayfield himself does not seem to be too busy, however, and the future in Cleveland appears to be an expansion team.
"Haley said." "In the preseason, and in practice, it has not always been perfect, and it has not been possible. one time that he had a chance to make a play. "
DC Al Holcomb Keeping Cardinals In Games
It was a tough start for the Arizona Cardinals, who finally won a game in Week 5, but that should not be taken away from the job by Al Holcomb. The Cardinals have barely scored at all – they rank dead-last with 58 points scored (Buffalo is next-worst with 63) and dead-last in time of possession (23:53, with Miami ranking 31st at 26:40) – and get no help from the offense, but are hanging around in games due to the work of the defense.
Rookie head coach Steve Wilks was smart to delegate to Holcomb, and – despite having recent first-round picks like Deone Bucannon and Hasaan Reddick did not fit the scheme and providing very little – this unit is exceeding what could be expected of them. Holcomb has been moving Patrick Peterson all over the place to negate match-ups, he has turned Josh Bynes into a difference-maker at linebacker, and since a tough start in the first two weeks the Cardinals are allowing just 18 points per game their past three weeks (again, despite being on the field the entire game).
Brutal start – outscored 58-6 in the first two weeks – is no small accomplishment
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- Tip of the cap to 49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh, as well. This season has spiraled away from San Francisco, and the team is looking forward to meeting the expectations and expectations of the future. The verdict is out on John Lynch as an evaluator / team builder, with the selection of rider Solomon Thomas producing little results and the signing of Richard Sherman the same, as he continues to battle injury. Defforest Buckner and Rueben Foster, and Saleh's unit is not a helping hand, but is more than doing its part. With no edge presence and a lack of coverage options, Saleh has dealt with a weak hand, yet the 49ers have managed to go ninth in yards per play and 11th in yards per game allowed and rank seventh against the rush …
- Have my share of problems with the Hall of Fame process operates, but would hope to keep an eye on Earnest Byner's candidacy. He played multiple positions and hybrid roles on some great teams, was a leader and galvanizing force, an extension of his coaches, and a dual threat whose impact on the game went beyond many of the stats of the time. Ask guys like Joe Gibbs and Marty Schottenheimer what they thought about him and how much they meant to their teams and how much they trusted him. Food for thought …
- The Chiefs Defense will live or die with Dee Ford. After a very slow start he has emerged as a vital pass-rushing cog. He leads the NFL in combined QB hurries and hits through five weeks … And Jerry Hughes is tied for third in the NFL in that same category. He is approaching age 30 and for all the chatter about LeSean McCoy, Hughes would be the greater greater traducer of the two on the open market. In fact, Buffalo would be myopic not to shop Hughes … I love me some Aaron Donald. But Buckner is my favorite interior crap-kicker to watch on film these days … Robby Anderson, Alex Collins and Michael Thomas are the only non-quarterbacks who rank in the NFL's top 13 in total fumbles thus far … red zone in the entire NFL? Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, who combined for 20 catches in 27 targets inside the 20, with four TDs.
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