The New York Jets jumped out to a 14-0 lead over the Cleveland Browns in the second quarter on Thursday night, but the offense sputtered the rest of the evening en route to a disheartening 21-17 defeat that broke the Browns' lengthy winless streak. Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold struggled in the loss, and he accepted the blame for the punchless offensive attack, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.
“From my point of view, I just have to play better, simple as that,” Darnold said. “It's not acceptable, the way I played. I know that, and I have to take it like a man. I feel like I'm responsible for some of the stagnant offense we had. I just have to play better, that's it.”
While Browns rookie Baker Mayfield was making waves on one side, Darnold was looking like every bit the rookie on the other as part of a conservative game plan against an aggressive Browns defense. The No. 3 pick completed just 15 of 31 passes for 169 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions, both in the fourth quarter as the Jets were trying to mount a comeback.
It's only natural to compare the play of Darnold and Mayfield, but the USC product knows he can't let that kind of stuff affect him.
“I know Baker is a great player,” Darnold said. “He did some great things at Oklahoma, and he continued to do great things tonight. I felt the crowd rallied pretty well around him. At the same time, I have to continue to do my job and keep the offense rolling. I'm not worried about [Mayfield].”
Darnold had a terrific debut against the Detroit Lions, but he has taken a step back in each of the last two games. This is only natural for a rookie quarterback, as there will be ebbs and flows throughout the season. There's no reason to panic, and it's nice to see the quarterback taking accountability for his poor play.
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