Baker Mayfield Takes Blame for Browns' Loss to Jets: 'I Failed This Team'

The Cleveland Browns lost in shocking fashion to the New York Jets on Sunday, damaging their playoff prospects in the process.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield spoke with reporters after the 23-16 loss and took full responsibility for the result, even though he was playing without the majority of his wide receivers. 

"I failed this team," Mayfield said.

Mayfield was 28-of-53 for 285 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. The most surprising part of the stat line was the fact he threw so many times even though the Browns were missing so many pass-catchers and have two formidable running backs in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

While Cleveland was in comeback mode for much of the game, it was still stunning to see Chubb and Hunt combine for just 15 carries when they have been so effective all year.

Tom Pelissero of NFL.com noted wide receivers Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge were all placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list because they were in the recovery pool area with linebacker B.J. Goodson, who tested positive for COVID-19.

At least one of the players was not correctly wearing a mask.

That left Cleveland with Marvin Hall as the only wide receiver on the active roster, and it elevated Ja'Marcus Bradley and Derrick Willies from the practice squad. The offense struggled for much of the contest with so many key absences, and Mayfield's fumble on a quarterback sneak on fourth down secured the loss.

Cleveland is now in a heated battle for the three AFC wild-card spots.

The Browns, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts are all 10-5 with those three spots up for grabs. Cleveland can at least take solace in the fact it owns the tiebreaker against the Colts based on its head-to-head win, but it missed a golden opportunity against the one-win Jets. The team will try to get a win against the 12-3 Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday.