EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – – Baker Mayfield coughed the ball – and the Cleveland Browns’ chances of closing a playoff.
After a 23 to 16 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, the Browns will need to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers at home next Sunday if they are to end the longest NFL playoff drought.
“I failed this team,” said Mayfield, who answered a question during his post-game call about Zoom and left. “I put three balls on the ground, two of which they recovered and the other on the fourth down – just hold the damn ball. Clear and simple. I have to hold the damn ball. “
In the fourth to 1 with the short-handed Browns (10-5) heading for the potential tie, Mayfield tried to advance to the first descent, but lost the ball when Tarell Basham collided with him. Kareem Hunt recovered, but as a rule, Mayfield was the only one who could advance the ball – and the defender was close to the first down.
The decision was confirmed by a video review, and the Jets (2-13) took the ball 1:18 from the end and sealed their second straight victory after a 0-13 start.
“This is on me,” Mayfield reiterated. “But the problem is this: it will hurt for a day or two. But we got the Steelers to win and get in. “
It was a difficult week for the Browns, who have not been in the postseason since 2002 and entered without seven players due to problems with COVID-19 – including Jarvis Landry and three other wide receivers, and left rookie tackle Jedrick Wills. Cleveland had to summon several players from the training team and coach Kevin Stefanski took a look at a parking lot near the team’s hotel to bring some of the new players up to date with the game plan.
“It’s almost 2020 – all in 24 hours,” said Mayfield. “It is not an excuse.”
Despite being short on players, the Browns almost eliminated the 20-3 deficit. But the Jets managed to take it.
“It had nothing to do with the guys we didn’t have,” said Stefanski. “We achieved a total defeat, won in full with the players we had, including me.”
At the start of the fourth period, Cleveland had third and 6 in 15, when Basham sent Mayfield out and dropped the ball and John Franklin-Myers recovered. Sam Ficken’s 34-yard field goal with 2:52 left gave New York a 23-16 lead.
Ficken sent the kick off the pitch, giving the ball to Cleveland at 40. The Browns reached 16, until the defense rose again to end it.
“This team has no dropouts,” said Jets Connor McGovern center.
New York won second overall choice in the April draft. Jamison Crowder received a touchdown pass and launched one for Braxton Berrios, and Sam Darnold made it 16 from 32 to 175 yards, including TD passes to Crowder and Chris Herndon.
The Jets reached the 7-3 lead with some rare razzle-dazzle with 34 seconds to go before the first quarter.
Ty Johnson took Darnold’s hand and threw the ball to Crowder, who rolled to the right and whizzed a pass across the field to a fully open Berrios – who had been lined up like the tailback – for a 43-yard touchdown.
New York got the ball back when Frankie Luvu drew Mayfield and threw the ball away – and straight into the hands of Folorunso Fatukasi.
The Jets took advantage when Darnold found Herndon wide open at the back of the end zone. Ficken’s extra point was blocked by former Jets striker Sheldon Richardson, but New York had an impressive 13-3 lead early in the second half.
After the Jets scored 20-3 at Crowder’s reception for a 30-yard touchdown, New York had a chance to extend the lead, but Ficken’s 50-yard field goal was blocked – again by Richardson.
Mayfield then marched onto the Browns’ field, and Nick Chubb’s 1-yard run made 20-10.
Cleveland managed consecutive touchdowns with Hunt running 4 yards away. But Parkey hit the right on the left, and the Browns lost 20-16 with 12:38 remaining.
“You win next week and you’re in,” said Stefanski. “What we have ahead of us is everything we plan to do this season.”
I ENJOY
The Browns learned Sunday morning that they would be without Wills because of an illness. It had been placed on the COVID-19 list on Thursday and activated on Saturday, but was downgraded on Sunday.
Initial linebacker BJ Goodson was placed on the COVID-19 list on Saturday and five other players, including Landry, were dropped due to close contact. The others were recipients Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge, and linebacker Jacob Phillips.
HISTORIC MARK
Frank Gore of the Jets became the third player in NFL history to run for 16,000 yards. Gore, 37, joined Pro Football Hall of Fame members Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton to reach the milestone, doing so with a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter. He left at the end of the game with a chest injury.
INJURIES
Browns: LBs Tae Davis and Sione Takitaki left with ankle injuries and did not return.
Jets: OL Josh Andrews left with a groin injury.
NEXT
Browns: Host AFC North champion Pittsburgh next Sunday needs a win to secure a playoff spot.
Jets: End your season in New England next Sunday.
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