Getty Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns.
Baker Mayfield’s swagger is not for everyone. Some call it confidence. Some call it cocky. Some are utterly turned off by his behavior. New York Giants head coach Joe Judge, on the other hand, is a huge fan.
“I love the f****** attitude he plays with,” Judge emphatically stated to reporters on Wednesday when discussing the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback.
Judge went on to crown Mayfield an “elite competitor,” adding that “He can play freeze tag in a phone booth and come out a winner.”
The first-year head coach then quickly dialed it back, asking “Can we edit that out?” Judge jokingly questioned in regards to his F-bomb. “I apologize for my language.”
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Mayfield Playing Arguably the Best Football of His Career
When the Giants welcome the Cleveland Browns into MetLife this Sunday night, they’ll be welcoming a team with not only playoff aspirations, but some would argue legitimate Super Bowl aspirations as well.
Sitting at 9-4 on the season, the Browns would not be in the position they are were it not for Mayfield. The former Heisman Trophy winner has endured his fair share of doubt since being selected No. 1 overall back in 2018. In fact, plenty of those doubters still reside.
His season has been far from the most prolific around the league, namely during the first half of the year. Over Mayfield’s first six games of 2020, he compiled 10 touchdown passes to six interceptions, topping 189 passing yards in just one game. However, as time has gone on, with whispers questioning whether Case Keenum was better suited to serve as the Browns quarterback, Mayfield has dialed in his play, cementing himself as Cleveland’s lead-dog.
Mayfield’s top receiving target, Odell Beckham Jr., hasn’t appeared in a game since Week 7 and will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Nick Chubb, one of the league’s most talented running backs, missed four games after landing on IR with an MCL injury. Myles Garett, the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October after collecting six sacks, missed Week 11 and 12 after landing on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
Still, despite numerous roster ailments, the former Texas Tech walk-on has powered his Browns to a 5-2 record over his the last seven games, throwing 13 touchdown passes to just two interceptions. His recent stretch over the past three weeks has been arguably the best of Mayfield’s young career. Since Week 12, he has averaged 311 passing ypg, while totaling nine touchdowns and a mere single interception. Certainly a step up from his 175 ypg average of the 10 games prior.
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Giants Defense Will Look to Slow Down Mayfield & the Browns
While last week’s performance may have left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth of many onlookers, the Giants defense remains one of the league’s most surprising units in football. The 11th-ranked defense in the NFL, New York has held 212.75 passing ypg over the past month of play. A month that includes matchups against Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray.
The G-Men will not only have their hands full containing a rising Baker Mayfield, but also one of football’s most lethal running back duos. As we noted above, Nick Chubb missed a hefty part of this season with a knee injury, yet still ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing yards with 881 yards on the ground. Not to be outdone, Chubb’s running mate, Kareem Hunt, is fresh off a 110 total yard, two-touchdown outing against the Baltimore Ravens this past Monday night.
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