The Browns scored on three of their four first-half drives, and Mayfield looked largely in control throughout most of the game, completing 16 of 23 passes for 219 yards, two touchdowns, and one pick.
Mayfield prevailed over Joe Burrow in a compelling matchup of former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks and top overall picks in the NFL draft. Odell Beckham Jr had a couple of nice moments in the game also. And the Browns got into the win column, riding Mayfield’s two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns by tailback Nick Chubb to a 35-30 important win in Cleveland over Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.
“That’s the expectation and standard for us,” Mayfield told the NFL Network after the game, “is to come out here and execute like that.”
The Cleveland Browns provided some excitement Thursday in a surprisingly captivating game before an announced crowd of 6,000. Mayfield threw an interception but had touchdown passes to Beckham and running back Kareem Hunt in a 16-for-23, 219-yard passing performance. Beckham’s 43-yard touchdown highlighted his four-catch, 74-yard night.
Odell Beckham jr had his 11th straight game with fewer than 100 receiving yards. But it was far better than his three-catch, 22-yard game against the Ravens, in which he was targeted 10 times by Mayfield but the two appeared out of sync.
Burrow finished 37 of 61 for 316 yards. He was sacked three times and in a hurry pretty much the whole game, and had an unfortunate moment when he tried to call a timeout and had the ball snapped past him. But the reigning Heisman Trophy winner matched Mayfield, and showed why the Bengals believe he can turn them around.