Dan Orlovsky thinks Baker Mayfield, the Browns and Kevin Stefanski are better without Odell Beckham Jr.
Orlovsky, speaking Monday on ESPN’s “Get Up,” wasted no time after the Browns’ 41-16 win over Cincinnati in saying Cleveland’s system functions better without a star receiver.
“This was the Browns team that I expected to see this offseason,” Orlovsky said. “This was the quarterback that I expected to see this season. The reality is Baker Mayfield is a better quarterback without OBJ. Kevin Stefanski, their head coach, is a better coach without a star receiver.”
By passer rating, Sunday’s game was Mayfield’s best of the season. His statistical output was modest — 14 of 21 for 218 yards with two touchdowns — as the Browns leaned on Nick Chubb’s 137 yards and two touchdowns, and their defense to win. But PFF graded Mayfield as the best QB in the NFL in Week 9.
Beckham was set to officially be waived on Monday after a dramatic falling out with the Browns, which included his father posting video of Mayfield apparently not throwing him the ball when he was open. After a quiet six games that culminated in the receiver openly wanting out of Cleveland, all seemed to agree that was for the best.
“The ‘Baker Mayfield Sucks’ crowd had a tough weekend, because the kid played fantastic football,” Orlovsky said. “He only had one missed throw, that was to [Jarvis] Landry late in the game. Outside of that, he was phenomenal with his ball location. He was phenomenal with his decision making.”
The win moved the Browns to 5-4, still in the playoff hunt for a wild-card spot and two games back of the Ravens in the loss column for the AFC North.
Baker Mayfield throws the ball against the Bengals Getty ImagesOrlovsky said that Stefanski’s system, modeled off Gary Kubiak and Mike Shanahan, isn’t based on star players. Thus, the ball-hungry Beckham didn’t fit.
“It’s about building a scheme and the quarterback then figuring out, given what the defense is, who I should throw the football to?” Orlovsky said. “That’s the Baker Mayfield that I saw yesterday. That’s the Baker Mayfield that can be the reason why the Browns win a Super Bowl.”
