Baker Mayfield was rolling against the Falcons. The Browns’ rookie quarterback had completed nine straight passes to start his day against Atlanta, leading Cleveland to a 7-3 lead in the process.
The Browns tried a trick play and only tricked themselves
Baker Mayfield was 9-for-9 passing and then the Browns did THIS.
So, naturally, head coach Gregg Williams wanted to get the ball in his hands as much as possible. Even as a wide receiver.
It didn’t go well.
Williams and offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens cooked up a trick play at the ATL 34 yard line, hoping to catch the Falcons defense sleeping on first down. Rookie tailback Dontrell Hilliard, a man with zero career pass completions in the NFL or NCAA, took a direct snap, ran to his right, and then launched a floating pass back to his quarterback. Mayfield was already mostly covered by Atlanta linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, but it was the emergence of safety Damontae Kazee that really turned things pear-shaped. He snatched one of the easiest interceptions he’ll ever have as a pro out of the sky and returned it 33 yards to the Cleveland 33 yard line, derailing the Browns’ hard-earned momentum.
Six plays later, the Falcons turned their advantageous field position into a one-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones. One stupid gadget play not only ended a Cleveland drive that was likely to result in at least three points for the home team, but it also directly led to a lead-swinging touchdown for the visitors.
The good news is Kitchens appears to have learned from his mistake. Mayfield threw three more passes — completing all three — to lead Cleveland on an 80-yard touchdown drive that gave the Browns a 14-10 lead at the half. Through two quarters, he’s completed 12 of 12 passes for 165 yards and a pair of passing touchdowns, giving him a perfect passer rating early in Week 10.
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