Getty Images Browns QB Baker Mayfield.
B aker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns were not too happy with the officiating during Sunday’s 47-42 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
The Browns were called for a very questionable pass interference call in the fourth quarter and Mayfield felt the refs missed multiple calls on the Chargers defense. That included tight end David Njoku being knocked down and into receiver Rashard Higgins on a final Hail Mary attempt in the end zone on what was a very catchable throw.
“Late in the game — might as well just forward the fine letter — we asked the ref on the sideline how the hell he missed that call,” Mayfield told reporters in his postgame press conference. “I mean, they were shoving Donovan Peoples-Jones out of bounds, and then Higgy gets grabbed, so there’s two PIs on one play.”
That being said, Mayfield still shouldered the blame after the loss.
“They don’t call it, but we shouldn’t have even been in that position,” he said. “We left too many points on the field in the first half. It’s very frustrating when we didn’t do our job enough to just take the ball game away. We left it in the hands of somebody else. So we’ve got to be better on that.”
Browns Defense Not Happy With Calls Either
Mayfield wasn’t the only Browns player to take aim at the refs. Browns defensive end Myles Garrett did as well, going to bat for backup cornerback AJ Green, who was filling in due to multiple injuries. Green was called for a very controversial pass interference penalty while defending Chargers receiver Milke Williams.
This was called defensive pass interference against the #Browns
“It was terrible,” Garrett told reporters in his postgame press conference. “I mean, you’ve seen pictures. You’ve seen videos. It was a terrible call. It is what it is. The refs are humans, and they make mistakes, but we get held to a high standard and a high degree of excellence [as players], and so should they.”
Browns safety John Jonhson III said he had people telling him the call was barf-worthy.
“When I got back to my phone, one of my buddies texted me, said, ‘You’re going to throw up at that call,'” Johnson said. “I mean, when you’ve got a big-bodied, jump-ball receiver like Mike Williams, you’ve got to try to fight him in some type of way.
“Those calls usually go to the offense. I feel like they were just hand fighting, I don’t think [Green] impeded any progress. I also think the ball was uncatchable, so it’s … a break that didn’t go our way, and you can’t really control that.”
Even Browns legend Joe Thomas weighed in on the missed calls, feeling it cost Cleveland the game.
“If the NFL had already came to their senses and had a Sky Judge in today’s Browns game, they would have correctly won,” he tweeted.
If the NFL had already came to their senses and had a Sky Judge in todays Browns game, they would have correctly won
Browns Worrying Over Multiple Injuries
The Browns were hit with a wave of injuries against the Chargers, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Starting cornerbacks Greedy Williams (shoulder) and Denzel Ward (neck) didn’t finish the game, while backup MJ Stewart and offensive tackle Jack Conklin are also expected to get MRIs on Monday. That’s not to mention that standout rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who was taken to the hospital with a throat contusion.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski had no interest in blaming the officials or injuries for the loss.
“We’ll win as a team and we’ll lose as a team,” Stefanski said. “We’ve got to find ways to get stops, and we have been doing that as a defense. We didn’t do it today.”
The situation won’t get easier next week, as the Browns host the undefeated Arizona Cardinals (5-0).
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Browns QB Baker Mayfield Rips Officials After Loss to Chargers