Week 3 of the 2018 NFL Season kicked off Thursday night when the New York Jets visited a Cleveland Browns team looking for their first win in 635 days. Trailing 14-0 with 1:23 remaining until the half, Browns quarterback Tyrod Taylor left the game with a head injury, Baker Mayfield entered the game. He led the Browns to their first points of the night and never looked back, leading the Browns to just their second win in the last 34 games, 21-17. Browns linebacker Joe Schobert's interception, with 1:21 remaining in the game, sealed the Brown's first victory since December 24, 2016, and gave Cleveland's faithful hope for the future.
Mayfield finished the game completing 73.9 percent of his passes for 201 yards.
Jets jump out to a 14-0 lead
After a scoreless first quarter the Jets took over at the Cleveland 28-yard line after Britton Colquitt's punt was deflected out of bounds Running back Isaiah Crowell took a handoff left end for seven yards and a touchdown to give the Jets a 7-0 lead. On the Jets ensuing drive, rookie quarterback Sam Darnold led his team on 10-play, 63-yard drive capped by another Isaiah Crowell touchdown run, this time from two yards out giving the Jets a 14-0 lead. Cleveland managed a field goal with 27 seconds left in the half, a 45-yard boot by newly acquired rookie kicker Greg Joseph giving the Jets a 14-3 advantage at halftime.
Baker Mayfield time for the Browns
Mayfield, drafted number one overall this past April, took over for an injured Tyrod Taylor with a 1:23 remaining in the second quarter. Mayfield immediately provided a spark, leading Cleveland on a 6-play, 38-yard drive resulting in their first points of the night. In the third quarter with 6:31 remaining, rookie cornerback Denzel Ward forced a fumble and returned the ball 20 yards to the Jets eight-yard line for Cleveland's league-leading ninth takeaway.
However, frustration continued generating points off the turnovers as the Browns were only able to manage a field goal, Joseph's second of the night, just barely inside the left upright to cut the Jets lead to 14-6. Later in the third quarter, Mayfield led his first career touchdown drive, set up on the longest play of the night for either tea; a 29-yard pass to Jarvis Landry tackled at the 1-yard line.
Carlos Hyde finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, Cleveland converted the two-point conversion, and the game was tied 14-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
Darnold responds, Mayfield wins the game
Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, making his third start in ten days and second in prime-time, led the Jets on a 12-play 65-yard scoring drive resulting in a 28-yard field goal and giving the Jets a 17-14 lead with 8:56 remaining in the game. Mayfield immediately responded by leading the Browns on a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, completing key third-down passes to running back Duke Johnson and rookie receiver Antonio Callaway to keep the drive alive. Carlos Hyde provided his second 1-yard touchdown run of the night giving the Browns a 21-17 lead with 2:04 remaining. Darnold, who finished the night with 169 yards passing threw an interception sealing the Browns win and a night of celebrations in Cleveland.