CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – For years the Browns couldn’t find a quarterback or coach, let alone build a franchise around either one.
With the Browns 9-3 for the first time since 1994, winners of their last 4 and leading the AFC Wild Card race, the marriage between Baker Mayfield and Kevin Stefanski appears to be a perfect match, and the key to any relationship is communication.
During the bye week Stefanski, Mayfield and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt were able to put their heads together to identify strengths and weaknesses from the first 8 games.
“Maintaining the attitude that we are going to correct our mistakes, we are going to constantly be looking to get better and teaching off of every play,” Stefanski said. “We have learned a ton about our team coming off of a win and coming off of a loss. We are trying to just make corrections constantly because we are trying very hard to continue to get better. We can’t just stay the same.”
They also reviewed a lot of film – especially of Mayfield’s 7 interceptions.
“You learn a lot from the tough tape,” Stefanski said. “It is tape that you have already seen once and then you watch it again, and it can be beneficial. I have said it before, Baker is very hard on himself. He is very critical. We try to coach him up. We try and point out the things that he can improve and also double down on things that he is really good at. He is doing a nice job in that area of taking care of the ball.”
The bye week meetings have paid off.
Mayfield hasn’t thrown an interception in his last 156 attempts and he has thrown 6 touchdown passes in the last 2 games combined.
Center JC Tretter has seen the Stefanski-Mayfield relationship grow throughout the season.
“They get along, they understand each other and that is always important,” Tretter said. “It is always important for everybody in the building to be on the same page and have good working relationships and understanding each other, but that is extremely important for the quarterback and the play caller for the success of the team. Making sure Baker likes the plays that are going in and understands them through and through and Baker knows what plays are going to be coming in.”
Keeping the Faith – One of Stefanski’s strengths is his willingness to go right back to a player who makes a mistake in a game – cane in point: Donovan peoples-Jones.
The rookie from Michigan dropped a potential touchdown inside the 5 on their opening series but Mayfield went right back to him in the second quarter and it resulted in a 75-yard touchdown.
“No one has played the perfect game. No one has called the perfect game,” Stefanski said. “How you respond to those moments is really what matters. You are going to drop a ball. It is going to happen, and then we are going to count on you maybe the next play. That is just kind of the mentality that the guys believe in. The coaches will just coach them up and make sure that they are better the next time.
“You can chase perfection, but we are really just looking to make sure that the guys are ready to move on if they do have a mistake, a mental error or whatever it may be.”
Waiver Claim – The Browns claimed receiver Marvin Hall via waivers from Detroit.
Hall, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Raiders in 2016, is in his fourth NFL season out of Washington. Hall has spent time with the Cardinals, Falcons and most recently, the Lions.
This season with Detroit, Hall played in 11 games and caught 17 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns. For his career, he’s registered 760 receiving yards on 36 receptions and five scores.
The Browns will receive a roster exemption for Hall that will expire once he’s permitted to join the team in accordance with testing protocols and he won’t count against the Active Roster Limit until then.
Coach of the Year – The Browns announced that Lake Catholic High School’s Marty Gibbons was selected as the ‘Cleveland Browns High School Coach of the Year’ Monday.
A $9,000 grant will be awarded to the school’s football program.
Gibbons, a Lake Catholic alumnus who helped the school capture state championships as a student-athlete in 1991 and 1992, was named the Cougars’ head football coach following the 2018 season. He led the school to a 10-3 finish this year and an appearance in the OHSAA Division IV State Championship game, marking the first time Lake Catholic reached the title game since 2001.
Injury Report – Linebacker Mack Wilson cleared and does not have a concussion according to Stefanski. Defensive end Porter Gustin is making progress and may return this week. Receiver KhaDarel Hodge (hamstring) and cornerback Denzel Ward (calf) are considered day to day. Receiver Taywan Taylor is out with a neck injury and the team is gathering more information on the injury.
