Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield is not the only player in the locker room that is “feeling dangerous,” and that is a good thing for the Cleveland Browns.
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry was involved in every facet of the offense, as he rushed for a touchdown, was on the receiving end of another score, and very nearly threw for one on a trick play in Sunday’s 26-20 win over the Carolina Panthers at FirstEnergy Stadium.
“I guess waking up feeling dangerous is contagious,” Landry said with his trademark smile. “We pulled together as a team. We had a couple of turnovers, obviously, in the first half and mine, which was a big one, on the first play of the second half, but the defense went out there and got a stop.
“We found ways to play as a team. I think that is the biggest thing that everybody should take from this game. We found ways to make more plays than they did. Regardless of the situation, turnovers or not, we had each other’s back.”
The Browns answered the Panthers’ opening-drive touchdown with one of their own in front of the home fans.
The Browns marched 75 yards in just three plays, and Landry punctuated the drive with a three-yard touchdown run around right end. Following the play, Landry fired the ball into the stands in the West end zone.
Later in the game, Landry broke free for a 51-yard run.
Facing a third-and-two, Mayfield faked a handoff to wide receiver Breshad Perriman, who was going from left to right across the formation, and then, slipped the ball to Landry in the middle of the field, and the veteran pass catcher moved the ball down the field in short order.
After an initial burst of speed through a gap at the line of scrimmage, Landry cut across the field and outraced several Carolina defenders before being chased down from behind by multi-time Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly.
“We have been working on that play for a while now,” Landry said. “It has been in the plan. This is one of those weeks that (offensive coordinator) Freddie (Kitchens) really felt good about it. It was two big plays for us.”
With the Browns facing a third-and-17 from the Cleveland 49-yard line midway through the second quarter, Mayfield avoided a rush from the Panthers and muscled a throw deep down the left side of the field for Landry, and despite two defenders closing on him, the veteran pass catcher hauled in his third receiving score of the season.
“It was a hell of a throw, a hell of a throw,” Landry said. “It was where it needed to be. The guy’s back was turned. The corner that was coming from the outside was trying to squeeze it, and the ball literally went between both of them. It was a hell of a throw.”
Landry finished the game with 54 yards and one score on two carries, as well as 57 yards and one touchdown on three receptions, but above all else, the only statistic that mattered was putting a mark in the win column.
“I know that this season has not exactly been the way that we have wanted it to be, but I know that the men that I train with and that I go to work with every day work as hard as they can to go out there and compete for a W every week,” Landry said.
“Obviously, victories are what I want. I am just happy that we got it.”