Melvin Gordon Dominant as Chargers Rout Baker Mayfield, Browns

Melvin Gordon and the Los Angeles Chargers offense stayed hot Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

The Chargers (4-2) rolled to a 38-14 victory behind Gordon's 132 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Philip Rivers was solid (207 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception), while Tyrell Williams exploded for three catches, 118 receiving yards and two scores.  

While the Chargers cruised, Baker Mayfield and the Browns (2-3-1) stalled. Mayfield threw for 238 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, while the Chargers also sacked him five times. He also appeared to tweak his ankle while running out of bounds in the first half and looked hobbled at points in the game.

That made it a long afternoon in Cleveland for the Browns and their fans.

Baker Mayfield's Return to Earth Means It's Time to Cool Hype

David Richard/Associated Press

Mayfield is going to be a good NFL quarterback. He may even be great. But it's going to take some time.

After Mayfield led a second-half comeback against the New York Jets in Week 3 to end the Browns' 19-game winless streak, Cleveland fans were quick to anoint him as the second coming of Joe Montana. He came off the bench and went 17-of-23 for 201 yards, showing poise and grit in the win.

Cleveland fans deserved to be excited after years of futility, and Mayfield was living up to the hype...at least for one game. Since then, however, he's been up and down.

In a Week 4 loss against the Raiders, there was the good (295 passing yards, two touchdowns) and the bad (two interceptions, 51.2 completion percentage). In a Week 5 win over the Baltimore Ravens, there was the good (342 passing yards) and the bad (58.1 completion percentage, five sacks). 

Against the Chargers, it was mostly bad. He threw two interceptions and was sacked five times. Several of his throws weren't anywhere near the intended target. 

Mayfield didn't seem to be 100 percent after he stepped awkwardly out of bounds early in the game, however, which appeared to play a factor. 

His teammates didn't particularly well, either. His receivers dropped multiple passes, including three in the end zone. The defense provided little resistance. It was ugly.

Mayfield's inconsistency should slow down the hype train and make fans remember that he's just a rookie. He's showed flashes of greatness, but the next step in his progression as a quarterback is becoming more consistent.

Until he takes that step, the Browns will likely have up-and-down performances, too.

Chargers' Explosive Offense Makes Them Legit Contenders

David Richard/Associated Press

The Chargers have a plethora of offensive weapons. Rivers hasn't aged as well as Drew Brees or Tom Brady, but he gets the job done nevertheless.

Gordon is one of the most productive running backs in the NFL, giving the Chargers a reliable between-the-tackles grinder and goal-line finisher. 

Austin Ekeler, meanwhile, has brought a bit of lightning to the backfield, offering Rivers an excellent outlet in the pass game.

Rivers also has a dangerous trio at wide receiver in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Tyrell Williams. And tight end Antonio Gates may be well past his prime, but he's hardly dead weight.

This offense is good enough to keep the Chargers firmly in the playoff hunt this season. While this team may not have the upside of AFC contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots or Jacksonville Jaguars, they won't make for an enjoyable playoff opponent if they keep clicking offensively.

If the Chargers aren't among the AFC elite, they appear to be in the next tier down at the moment. They're legit, and there's little reason to expect them to slow down.

None of this should come as a major surprise. After starting the 2017 season 1-4, the Chargers went 8-3 down the stretch and nearly earned a playoff spot. Anthony Lynn and the Chargers figured something out in the second half of the 2017 season, and it's carried over this year. 

Don't sleep on these Chargers. They're far too dangerous on offense to be taken lightly.

What's Next?

The Chargers will host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET in London, while the Browns travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.