Video: Baker Mayfield Says Browns 'Won't Forget' Critics Throwing Them in Trash

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield heard the haters and had a message for them following Sunday's 40-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

"A win's great, but I hope everybody keeps the same energy," he told reporters. "Threw us in the trash. We won't forget it."

He looked like he didn't forget when he finished 20-of-30 passing for 342 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the blowout win. The Browns pulled even with the Ravens atop the AFC North at 2-2 thanks to the victory.

The Browns received plenty of preseason love in the form of magazine covers, profile stories and Super Bowl talk, which was a head-turning development for a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2002 campaign.

The addition of Odell Beckham Jr. to an offensive grouping that included Mayfield, Jarvis Landry and Nick Chubb gave Cleveland plenty of firepower, and it was Chubb who did much of the heavy lifting against the Ravens. He finished with 20 carries for 165 yards and three touchdowns, torching Baltimore’s defense whenever the home team had momentum.

It was quite the change for a Browns team that looked nothing like a Super Bowl contender through the first three games. Cleveland lost by 30 points to the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, defeated a New York Jets team down to its third-string quarterback in Week 2 and lost to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.

The play-calling in particular was questionable against the Rams and featured a draw play on 4th-and-9 and four straight passes on 1st-and-goal at the end of the game.

It opened the door for plenty of criticism, especially in the face of elevated preseason expectations, but the version of the Browns on display Sunday is capable of contending for a postseason spot and more.

Mayfield won’t forget that early criticism as he battles for the playoffs.