The San Francisco 49ers came away with a decisive 31-3 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Monday night, but the biggest winner in primetime was rookie defensive end Nick Bosa.
Bosa — the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft out of Ohio State — not only racked up an impressive stat line of four tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, but also came away with some sweet, long awaited revenge on Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield famously planted an Oklahoma flag at midfield of Ohio Stadium when the Sooners got the best of Bosa’s squad 31-16 in 2017. After dropping Mayfield and forcing an intentional grounding call with 10 seconds left, Bosa waved and then planted an imaginary flag.
BOSA JUST PLANTED HIS FLAG IN SAN FRAN 😤 @nbsmallerbear
That wasn’t it though. Bosa had plenty to say about Mayfield following the game and didn’t pull any punches.
“I was kind of trying to talk [to Mayfield],” Bosa told reporters after the game. “I don’t usually talk, but this game he had it coming. He didn’t say one word back.
“I was just screaming his name like, ‘Baaaaaker. Baaaaaker. You good? Step it up. We want a challenge.’”
“I don’t usually talk, but this game (Baker Mayfield) had it coming.”
49ers DE Nick Bosa explains the trash talk he directed at the Browns’ QB all night.
Mayfield couldn’t supply the challenge Bosa and his buddies were looking for, as he finished with his worst stat line as a pro: 8 of 22 for 100 yards, 2 interceptions and a passer rating of a paltry 13.4. It was the first game in his career he did not throw a touchdown pass and found himself wearing a hat on the sideline in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.
“I don’t know how anybody thought he would be able to see over Arik [Armstead] and [DeForest] Buck[ner],” Bosa said. “But he was panicking. He was double clutching, rolling back and forth. We had him rattled all game.”
As for that flag celebration? It was carefully planned.
“I practiced a little bit in my room,” Bosa said, via Omar Ruiz of NFL Network. “It was pretty accurate. I mean, the image was in my head pretty good, so I had an idea.”
Baker Mayfield Has Simple Response to Bosa, Terrible MNF Outing
GettyBrowns QB Baker Mayfield peels himself off the turf.
Mayfield said he was informed after the game about what Bosa did. The usually boisterous QB didn’t have much to say.
“Good for him,” Mayfield said. “Good play.”
The Browns offense seemed to find its rhythm against the Ravens in a 40-25 win a week ago, but again looked — for lack of a better word — rattled against the 49ers tough defensive unit. Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was held against the just two inconsequential catches and a bobbled goal line pass that bounced off the hands of Antonio Callaway into the arms of a 49ers defender for an interception stymied the only real chance the Browns had at the end zone.
“It was like one step forward, two back,” Mayfield said. “No rhythm for the offense to get into. And when we did, we just got down in the red zone and didn’t finish. The inconsistency is killing us right now.”
49ers CB Richard Sherman: We Know What We Have in the Building
.@nbsmallerbear brings the pressure, @RSherman_25 picks off Mayfield! #GoNiners #MNF
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With the win, San Francisco remains just one of two undefeated teams left in the NFL, the other being the defending champion New England Patriots.
There were some doubters of the Niners 3-0 record coming into the game simply because of who they had played: Cincinnati, Tampa Bay and Steelers team that was playing without Ben Roethlisberger. But after the big win against the Browns, San Francisco corner Richard Sherman wanted to make something very clear to those who questioned them.
“Don’t flip-flop,” Sherman said after the game. “If you said we weren’t going to make it, you said we were some way early on, stick with that position. Hold it. Don’t try to give us credit now. At least stick by your word because I want you to sound like an idiot at the end. We know what we have in the building.”
The 49ers face the Rams next week in Los Angeles. The road doesn’t get any easier for the Browns, who will see the Seahawks for Week 6 before running into the Patriots.
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Nick Bosa Destroys Baker Mayfield in Postgame Comments