CLEVELAND — How would Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield respond after struggling through a lopsided loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football earlier in the week?
Well, if the first half against the Seattle Seahawks is any indication, the answer to that question is extremely well and emphatically.
Mayfield engineered three straight scoring drives to start the game, and on the third, he found tight end Ricky Seals-Jones open along the right sideline for a 31-yard touchdown, which gave the Browns a 20-6 lead over the Seahawks with 14:54 to play in the first half from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
On first-and-10 from the Seattle 31-yard line, Mayfield took the snap under center, utilized a play-action fake to freeze the defense, and after reading the progressions from left to right, found Seals-Jones well behind the coverage of a Seahawks defender.
After securing the catch at the Seattle nine-yard line, Seals-Jones hustled his way into the end zone for his second touchdown of the season.
It was the second touchdown of the game that Mayfield was responsible for, as late in the first quarter, he rushed for a 10-yard score. Mayfield’s rushing touchdown against the Seahawks was the first of his young NFL career.
While Mayfield and Seals-Jones punctuated the drive, it was running back Nick Chubb who carried the mail early in the possession.
On second-and-one from the Cleveland 17-yard line, Mayfield handed the ball to Chubb, and after initially going behind left guard Joel Bitonio, he cut back right, powered through the first and second levels of defense and hustled his way to a 52-yard gain.