BEREA, Ohio -- Leading in -- and immediately following -- wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s season-ending knee injury, Baker Mayfield’s standing as Cleveland’s franchise quarterback never seemed more tenuous.
Mayfield was coming off perhaps the worst performance of his career, including a pick-six on his first pass in a Week 6 drubbing in Pittsburgh. Then in Cincinnati, again on his first attempt, Mayfield threw another pick, this time forcing yet another pass to Beckham, who injured the knee trying to tackle the intercepting defender.
Mayfield went on to go 0-of-5 passing that first quarter, before -- with Beckham sidelined -- dramatically reversing course to become one of the NFL’s most efficient passers the rest of the season while leading the Browns to their first playoff victory in 26 years, coincidentally, back in Pittsburgh.