'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Cleveland Browns are 7-8 and, barring a miracle, will miss the playoffs in 2021. After such a strong 2020 performance from the team, some pundits were saying 2021 could have been an all-time great season.
As January approaches, it is clear that the Browns have regressed this year instead. Who is to blame? Is Baker Mayfield falling back to earth? Will he lead the Browns to a higher peak next season?
Is Baker Mayfield going downhill with the Browns?
If one looks purely at Baker Mayfield's career stats, it is clear that 2021 has been Mayfield's worst season in the NFL. Drafted in 2018, Mayfield has had touchdown totals in the 20s in each of his first three seasons. In his fourth season with two games to go, Mayfield is sitting at 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Unless he finishes the year strong with, at least, two touchdowns or more per game, Mayfield will fall out of the 20s for the first time. Of course, there are several factors contributing to this. Namely, injuries and Covid have hurt the Browns as badly as any team in the NFL this season.
Baker Mayfield has been banged up, missing two games this season and fighting through pain in many of the others. If he wasn't the one injured, it was several other pieces. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt have missed significant time in addition to Jarvis Landry.
Put simply, Baker Mayfield's offense with the Browns has been as unstable as any could be with constantly moving pieces. With all of the instability, it is no wonder Mayfield's numbers are down. That said, a pattern is emerging with Mayfield.
In 2018, Mayfield threw for 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In 2019, he threw for 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. In 2020, Mayfield threw for 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. This season, Mayfield has 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
He's alternating between good and bad years. He had a good year in 2018, but 2019 was a bad year. Then, 2020 was good year, and 2021 has been a bad year. Based on this pattern, Mayfield is likely to rebound next season. Players with this type of circular pattern of rising and falling often suffer from letting themselves get too high after a good year.
This means, once they do a good job, they tend to relax and erode into having a bad year. They fix what they've been doing wrong, and have another good year. The pattern, then, repeats. Unless Mayfield shows something different over the next couple of years, this could be who he is.
Is that good enough for the Browns, a team that has been behind the 8-ball for decades? Could they push themselves in a new direction? The Chiefs pulled off an upgrade with an already decent quarterback under center. Could the Browns attempt to do the same thing? Would they even want to try?
