Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield made a great first impression on his NFL debut against the New York Jets. After coming in to replace the concussed Tyrod Taylor, he led the Browns to their first victory in 635 days and won the starting QB job in the process.
However, Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley isn’t getting carried away by the hype that’s surrounding Mayfield after his dream debut. Haley realizes that Mayfield’s first start on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders represents the real test for the prized rookie.
“Now, this is the real test,” Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley said, via the team's official website. “I know that a lot of people are covering the bust for Canton already, to steal one from my old pal [Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill] Parcells. He set the bar high. I do not know that every week is going to go like that went. I will say this, as an offense, we need to execute better earlier.”
Mayfield led the Browns to 21 points, completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards and had a 100.1 passer rating against the Jets. But Haley acknowledges what a small sample size that is and wants to see if Mayfield is capable of completing 70 percent of his passes over a longer span of time.
It’s completely sensible for Haley to remain realistic about his rookie QB at this point. While Mayfield played impressively against the Jets, he was likely aided by the element of surprise after he came in to replace Taylor. It will be a much different scenario for him against the Raiders, who will have had a full week to prepare and gameplan for him.
Luckily, the Raiders defense isn’t exactly performing too well these days, with their pass rush in particular nonexistent through three games. Still, if Mayfield can once again pass this test against the Raiders with flying colors, it’ll be another important step for him at this stage of his young career.
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