Browns stay with Taylor at quarterback
One good thing about the Cleveland Browns hosting the New York Jets on Thursday night in FirstEnergy Stadium is they have very little time to feel sorry for themselves.
The Browns firmly believe they should be 2-0. Instead, they are 0-1-1 after tying the Steelers, 21-21, in the opener and losing to the Saints, 21-18, last Sunday. Kicker Zane Gonzalez had a 44-yard attempt to beat the Steelers blocked in the final minute of overtime. He missed two wxtra points and two field-goal attempts in the second half in New Orleans.
Less than 24 hours after Gonzalez’ struggles figured heavily in extending the Browns’ winless streak to 19 games, they cut the second-year kicker and signed rookie Greg Joseph, who lost a kicking battle in the Miami Dolphins’ training camp this summer.
Switching kickers was a no-brainer. Fans want a change at quarterback, too, but that isn’t going to happen. That is a focal point this week especially because rookie Sam Darnold, the third overall pick in 2018, is starting for the Jets. Darnold is 1-1 two weeks into the season.
Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield, the first overall pick in April, will continue to sit behind Tyrod Taylor. That has been the plan from the beginning, and head coach Hue Jackson is sticking with it.
“I like our quarterback (Taylor),” Jackson said. “I like our young quarterback a lot, but it didn’t change my mind in anything. Baker has been really good in practice. I’ve done for him what I said what I was going to do, getting him some reps at the end at times. I think he’s still growing.
“The thing that I love, he’s so engaged in what we’re doing. That’s a fist-bump to him. I’m sure that it’s tough. At the same time, I think he’s ready. When his day comes, he is going to go out there and play well. I keep saying that. Do not know when it is, but when it does happen, he will play well.”
Darnold has completed 41 of 62 passes (66.1 percent) for 532 yards with three touchdown passes and three interceptions.
Taylor has completed 37 of 70 passes (52.9 percent) for 443 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. An interception he threw in New Orleans led to a Saints touchdown, but he redeemed himself with a 47-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Antonio Callaway to tie the score, 18-18.
Nobody would be clamoring for Mayfield had Gonzalez not missed four kicks. Players in the locker room believe in Mayfield, but they are 100 percent behind Taylor.
“Tyrod put us in position twice to try to win (in New Orleans), left guard Joel Bitonio said. “That’s character. He works his ass off. We all can play better. We have to start winning these games.”
The Browns haven’t won a game since beating the San Diego Chargers, 20-17, on Dec. 24, 2016. They are frustrated but not discouraged.
“Our players are not going to quit,” Jackson said. “I’ve never had a team that quits. Our guys have the grit and toughness. What we have to do is find a way to win.”
SERIES HISTORY: 25th regular season meeting. Series tied, 12-12. The Browns hosted the Jets a year ago and outgained them, 419 yards to 212 yards, but came up short, 17-14, because of three turnovers. Defensive end Myles Garrett had his first NFL sack on his first play after missing the first four games with an ankle injury.