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The frustration with the Cleveland Browns offense is bubbling over, both inside the locker room and out.
Most recently, Browns starting safety John Johnson III, who is out with an injured hamstring for Week 16’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers, could not contain his thinly veiled criticism of the signal-caller Baker Mayfield after tossing his second interception of the first half on Christmas Day.
“RUN THE DAMN BALL 🙄,” Johnson tweeted in all caps immediately following Mayfield’s second pick, which occurred deep within Packers’ territory and likely cost the Browns points on the drive.
Mayfield went on to toss a third interception in the first half, heading into the locker room with a stat line of 11 for 16 through the air for 146 yards and 1 TD to go along with the 3 turnovers. The trio of Mayfield mishaps all turned into Packers’ touchdowns, allowing Green Bay to take a 21-12 lead into halftime.
“That’s the difference in the ballgame,” NFL analyst and former head coach Jimmy Johnson said during the FOX halftime show, blaming Mayfield’s mistakes on a lack of arm strength and poor form — namely not stepping into throws.
It is not just teammates giving Mayfield a hard time over his play this season — Johnson, for one, as well as wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who forced his way out of Cleveland after publicly blaming Mayfield for his own offensive struggles. Fans have also been getting in on the action.
The Dawg Pound booed Mayfield after he threw 2 interceptions against the Detroit Lions back in November in a game the Browns ultimately won 13-10. Mayfield responded to that episode of fan disapproval by simply brushing it off.
“Those are probably the same fans who won’t be quiet on offense when we’re trying to operate,” Mayfield said. “So don’t really care.”
Widespread Teammate Commentary on Mayfield’s Play Saturday
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Getty ImagesQuarterback Baker Mayfield, of the Cleveland Browns, struggled mightily in the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Christmas Day, throwing three interceptions.
It’s not as if Johnson was tweeting from the Browns’ sideline in between defensive possessions. The safety was forced out by the league’s virus protocol after being designated to the reserve/COVID-19 list, despite having been fully vaccinated since August.
His diagnosis was likely a residual impact from the week prior against the Las Vegas Raiders, when more than 20 members of the Browns organization, including Mayfield, were sidelined by positive coronavirus test results. While several of those players were back against the Packers, Johnson and his fellow safety Ronnie Harrison II were isolated from the team and mandated to sit out the day’s action.
Harrison also took to Twitter around the time of Mayfield’s second interception, tweeting a sleeping emoji 😴. The meaning was ambiguous, to say the least, but several of his more than 75,000 followers interpreted the message as derogatory of Mayfield. Soon after, Harrison responded in kind.
“LOL, I love how y’all assume my last tweet is about Baker. I’m referring to Rodgers’ [arm] talent, the last few throws he’s made have been into perfect coverage,” Harrison tweeted. “If you so called ‘fans’ wanna talk down on OUR QB then go [ahead] but don’t use me as a catapult. Enjoy the Game #DawgPound.”
The safety, who was being criticized by several fans in his Twitter mentions for the perceived slight against Mayfield, added another message before ostensibly departing for good.
“This why I don’t tweet,” Harrison wrote. “I’m gone lol 🤟🏾.”
Mayfield Having Down Season Coming Off Career Year
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Getty ImagesQuarterback Baker Mayfield, of the Cleveland Browns.
Mayfield is navigating arguably the toughest season of his four-year career. He’s on pace to throw for fewer touchdowns than he ever has, with a TD/INT ratio of 13 to 7 heading into the game against the Packers. After the first half, that figure had gotten even worse with a new mark of 14 to 10. With a QBR of 38.7, Mayfield’s total quarterback rating is also by far the worst it’s been during his time as a professional.
The Browns are likely to finish with the second-best record of Mayfield’s NFL tenure this year but after making the playoffs last season, winning a playoff game in impressive fashion over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers and then playing the Kansas City Chiefs close the entire way before making an exit, this season feels like a regression.
The Browns entered Christmas Day 7-7 and sitting in 12th place in the AFC Playoff race, which will end with just seven teams earning a postseason berth. They finish the regular season hosting the Steelers in Week 17 and on the road at the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18.
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