Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Head Games by Kevin Alex Baker Kevin Stefanski hopes is much more comfortable with offense in 2021. As the Browns went through the 2020 season, quarterback Baker Mayfield clearly progressed within head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offensive scheme. Now as the team begins its second offseason with Stefanski at the helm, the head coach is hoping Mayfield’s comfort with the system is “significantly better.” “I hope as he starts to listen to the installs with [quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt] and you are hearing it for not the second time — he’s heard these plays over and over again, we’ve streamlined concepts and we’ve tried to adjust what we do based on his strengths and our players’ strengths — I would hope he’s much more comfortable from that perspective,” Stefanski said, via George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal . “That’s what time allows you to do — time together.” Stefanski noted that just like the rest of his teammates, Mayfield has an improvement plan for the offseason. With NFLPA president J.C. Tretter on the roster, the Browns players have announced that they will not be participating in voluntary in-person workouts. So ostensibly, any improvement Mayfield makes entering his fourth season will have to be done thorough virtual meetings and work on his own. Mayfield threw for 3,563 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2020. Share this: 12 responses to “ Kevin Stefanski hopes Baker Mayfield is much more comfortable with offense in 2021 ” I have the same hope as a Browns fan. Last year was Stefanski’s first year, Baker was learning a new offense during a pandemic, and he progressed well during the season. Usually we’re changing head coaches or at least offensive coordinators and the offense is re-learning a new playbook, but not this year. So many returning starters on offense this year too. This team has needed this level of stability for a long time. Overcoming lots of limitations. That’s what “comfortable” means here, and he needs to overcome a major height issue. I don’t see Baker being more than what he is. Is that going to be good enough when they passed over a tank in Josh Allen, who is killing it in Buffalo? . Mayfield has a better feel for the ball when passing then Allen, I have watched Allen and he is a good quarterback but I think he lacks the touch when throwing the ball maybe it will get better in time but I think Mayfield has that up on Allen at this time. Why not create an offense that Baker is comfortable with? These NFL Coaches are so basic. I see why Belichick and Tom Brady dominated the NFL for 20 years. While they changed their offense up constantly, most of these NFL coaches aren’t functional out of the one system that they learned. Mayfield has a better feel for the ball when passing then Allen, I have watched Allen and he is a good quarterback but I think he lacks the touch when throwing the ball maybe it will get better in time but I think Mayfield has that up on Allen at this time ———— That’s hysterical….says everyone with buyers remorse inside Cleveland….. Yeah, Mayfield was in the MVP convo…LOL.. The Brown over performed last year — losing season for them coming up — mark it! And Baker we trust! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Mayfield had a stacked deck on offense and he produced type numbers last year. He is what he is. He will always have problems with accuracy because of his poor footwork. How much more do you have to do for this guy? I’m so happy to finally have a competent football team. Haters can hate all they want. We were made fun of and ridiculed for decades. You think your “over hyped” and “over performed” comments are gonna bring us down? Ha! He’s not a franchise QB. He has tons of batted passes while in the pocket. His QB vision stat has to be one of the lowest in the league. Because of his height, they have to scheme rollouts to allow him to have a chance at throwing. There aren’t too many HOF QB’s who couldn’t pass in the pocket. Until he can learn to read a defense like Brees…he’ll never have that level of success. The Browns could have drafted Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley instead of Mayfield and Chubb. They missed again on another draft. No offense but “CaptainOblivious” may want to check the facts about Baker especially on batted balls. I thought the “QB Vision” stat was from Madden. May also want to check to see who has more playoff wins between Jackson & Barkley and Mayfield & Chubb. Hint: M&C. @ captainobvious: “He’s not a franchise QB. He has tons of batted passes while in the pocket.” Per Pro Football Reference Advanced Passing Accuracy Metrics, this opinion is outdated. In 2020, Mayfield had 8 passes batted down. So did Mahomes, Jones and Tannehill. Rothlesberger, Rivers, Cousins, Newton…all 2 to 4 inches taller than Mayfield, had more passes batted down. The median # of batted down passes for starting QBs was “6”, so Mayfield only had 2 more than the median over 16 games. His height is not a big deal. We’ll see if he can continue his 2nd half success of 20 TDs vs. 3 interceptions (including playoffs). If/when he comes close to that ratio in 2021, it will be time to call him a franchise QB. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Kevin Stefanski On Baker Mayfield: "I've Been Very Impressed With the Work He's Put In" In his latest conference call with the media, head coach Kevin Stefanki only received one question specifically relating to quarterback Baker Mayfield, which is notable. Questions relating to COVID-19 concerns took the main stage and there were questions relating to social justice, player injury updates and some other areas, but just one about Mayfield. For the Cleveland Browns, not having a media availability largely centered around the quarterback position is rare. Partly because he's not able to do much and partly because there's so much else going on, he simply wasn't a focus. Stefanski was asked if Mayfield defied any of his expectations since taking the job. "No. I don't think so. I think I've been very impressed, like I said before, with the work he's put in. He's all ears. He's taking it all in, I think Alex Van Pelt and the coaching staff are really giving him a lot and I don't see any limitations with Baker." It's echoing a sentiment that's come from both players and coaches about all the he's trying to do to take ownership in the offense, from going to meetings with other position groups to the throwing workouts with teammates. The biggest challenge for Mayfield in the current circumstances is trying to build those relationships and trust with teammates. Going into those meetings is helpful, but it's a hurdle he and the Browns in general are trying to overcome. Regardless of the circumstances, it's still interesting that in his third year, coming off a poor year and with all he's doing in terms of his public initiatives including the most recent effort on his part including an effort to save the life of Julius Jones, a man on death row in Oklahoma. Booked Up. Just a few thoughts on life in general and books in particular. Pages. Home About me & my reviews Useful Websites Reviews - A to Z by Author. Wednesday, 11 January 2012. Book Review: Head Games by Kevin Baker. Jordan Patrick is an aspiring actor who is struggling to fund his way through University. When another drama student sows the seeds of doubt about his future career he decides he has to get a part time job. The perfect role for him falls into his lap when a psychology professor hires him to take part in an experiment. He is inserted into the life of the psychologist's patients with the aim of staging situations and modelling behaviours that will advance their therapy and help resolve their issues. The role becomes a complicated one when he starts to develop a relationship with patient Julie who has issues with men. I thought the concept behind the book was brilliant, if rather sinister. Jordan seems to fall for the reasoning behind Foster's interventions without questioning his motives too closely. After all as an actor the work is hardly a stretch for him. However he gradually realises there is far more behind what he is involved in and uncovers all sorts of potentially criminal and ethically dubious behaviour. As events accelerate Jordan is unsure who he can trust. The story was built up gradually and carefully, to then pull the reader along to a rapid conclusion. I found the latter part of the book rattled through and I got a little confused as new characters were introduced, some of them going by real and assumed names. However a little re- reading clarified things and in a way it served to mirror Jordan's confusion as he tried to unpick what was real and what was a product of Foster's illusions. I did enjoy the ideas behind this book but found myself a little indifferent as to the fate of the characters. Maybe the fact the chapters are dated by how many days they occured before Jordan got shot or references that seemed to indicate the outcome of said shooting removed the element of suspense and concern that I might have built otherwise. Foster, as a control freak from the start, was never likely to be a character I could empathise with and along with Jordan I was unsure about what sort of person Julie was until the end. This was good read, I didn't spot any typos which is always a plus but it was missing a certain something. Format: Kindle , review copy My Rating: 3* A big game for rookie coach Kevin Stefanski to take control: Cleveland Browns scribbles. Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (C) talks with head coach Kevin Stefanski (R) and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in the second half, September 13, 2020, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. John Kuntz, cleveland.com. CLEVELAND, Ohio: Scribbling about the Cleveland Browns as they open at home against the Cincinnati Bengals tonight: 1. In politics, they call it “changing the narrative.” It means doing something to make people feel different about what has become the same old story. Or in the case after the Browns were hammered 38-6 in Baltimore, the theme of “Same Old Browns.” It also looked like the “same old” overwhelmed coaching staff. 2. A victory over the Bengals can mean a lot to Kevin Stefanski and his coaching staff. Then the loss can be written off as “Baltimore is a great team. The Browns were dealt a lousy hand with a rookie coach, no preseason games or spring practices.” In other words, the narrative changes. 3. For that to happen, Stefanski has to make some changes. We’ve dwelled on more carries for and . But the Browns give a $44 million contract to be the target of only two passes. He did catch both on Sunday. 4. For an offense that needs to feature ball control and keeping the defense off the field, the tight ends need to be targeted more than eight times. That was the situation in Baltimore. They caught six. Cleveland Browns running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt sit quietly on the bench late in the fourth quarter, September 13, 2020, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. John Kuntz, cleveland.com. 5. Chubb on what the Browns need to do: “We all know we can run the ball. We kind of got away from it (in Baltimore). Running the ball has never been a problem here. We just have to stick to it and get in a rhythm.” 6. Amen, Mr. Chubb. Hunt and Chubb combined for 132 yards in 23 carries. That’s a 5.7-yard average. The Bengals allowed the Chargers to rush for 155 yards (4.0 average) while losing to L.A. The Chargers ran it 39 times against Bengals. The Browns should do the same. 7. In his Zoom press conference, Chubb also spoke this truth: “There is no excuse for us with who all is on our team to put up one touchdown. That’s unacceptable.” 8. That’s why this is a big game for Stefanski. The rookie coach is also calling the plays. It’s his offense. He told us what it’s supposed to look like: the running game, passes to the tight ends, the physical play. Now is the time to show it. 9. If things “get away” from the running game, there is only one guy to blame – Stefanski. When he called plays in Minnesota last season, the Vikings ranked No. 4 in rushing attempts. He seemed almost stubborn in his commitment to run. Do it again, only this time in Cleveland. 10. The offense should look better. Stefanski has been a successful QB coach and play caller in the past without superstar QBs. His primary pupils were Case Keenum and Kirk Cousins. He should be able to put Baker Mayfield in a better position than he did in Baltimore. Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield on the bench in the fourth quarter, September 13, 2020, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. John Kuntz, cleveland.com. 11. None of this is to excuse Mayfield, who had three passes tipped. He wildly overthrew a few receivers. He seemed anxious at times in the pocket when the protection wasn’t breaking down. In fact, the passing protection was pretty good in Baltimore. Profootballfocus said his accuracy rate was 47 percent. That meant passes on target. A few off target were caught. Mayfield was only sacked twice and was not under constant defensive pressure. 12. I’m weary of writing about throwing/not throwing the ball to Odell Beckham Jr. The fact is he shouldn’t be the focal point of the offense. The Browns need this game to establish their personality on offense. The Bengals aren’t strong defensively. 13. Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s Joe Mixon ran for 308 yards in two games against the Browns last year. That’s right, 308 yards in two games. Can new Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods do anything about that? 14. This from Profootballfocus: “This Cincinnati offensive line projects to be one of the worst in the league. (QB) Joe Burrow had little success when Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram and company got home. Bosa, in particular, was excellent in this one.” Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws a long pass under pressure from Cleveland Browns defensive end in the second half, September 13, 2020, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. John Kuntz, cleveland.com. 15. The Chargers star pass rusher, Bosa had a sack, four QB hits and seven “hurries” against the Bengals. How about something like that from Myles Garrett? 16. The Browns need their defensive line to dominate because the linebackers/defensive backs looked slow and soft against the Ravens. The linebackers and secondary have been hit hard by injuries, but I also question how much talent is there even when , and are healthy and back on the field. I didn’t mention because the rookie safety is out for the season with an Achilles injury. 17. New kicker is on his second tour of duty with the Browns. The first was in 2016. He has been with five teams in six years. The new coaching staff must not have had any faith in Austin Seibert, cutting him after one game. Then the Bengals picked up Seibert. 18. I expect the offense to look better in this game. I expect (or at least hope) the Browns can hold Mixon under 125 yards (a very modest goal). But the defense seems overmatched right now. 19. Prediction: Bengals 27, Browns 24. Boy, I hope I’m wrong on this prediction. 20. Even if they are 0-2 after Thursday, I don’t write off the season. They have 10 days pull things together before facing Washington. They also will have a chance to assess the team after playing real games. That should help. Alex Van Pelt: "Baker had a perfect day of practice." Offensive Coordinator Alex Van Pelt addressed the media via Zoom on December 31, 2020. Alex discussed Baker Mayfield's mentality and performance at practice yesterday, Kevin Stefanski's composure amid the uncertainty of this week, and what he expects to see from the Steelers this Sunday. Kevin Stefanski on Greedy Williams: "We're all really excited to see him out on the field." Head Coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the media via Zoom on June 9, 2021. Kevin Stefanski on OTAs: "I see great strides being made." Head Coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the media via Zoom on June 2, 2021. Kevin Stefanski: "This is baby steps, but it's important to start there with these young players." Kevin Stefanski addressed the media via Zoom on May 14, 2021. Kevin discussed day 1 of rookie minicamp, the season opener against the Chiefs, and how he reinforces the foundation of the team going into a new season. Andrew Berry & Kevin Stefanski | End of Draft Day 3 Press Conference. Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski address the media following day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft. Colton Chapple | Richard LeCounte III Post Pick Press Conference. Area Scout Colton Chapple addresses the media following the selection of Safety Richard LeCounte III as the 169th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Charles Walls | Tony Fields II Post Pick Press Conference. National Scout Charles Walls addresses the media following the selection of linebacker Tony Fields II as the 153rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Dan Saganey | Tommy Togiai Post Pick Press Conference. Director of Player Personnel Dan Saganey addresses the media following the selection of defensive tackle Tommy Togiai as the 132nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Glenn Cook | James Hudson Post Pick Press Conference. Vice President of Player Personnel Glenn Cook addresses the media following the selection of tackle James Hudson as the 110th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Andrew Berry | End of Draft Day 2 Press Conference. Andrew Berry addresses the media following day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah | Anthony Schwartz Post Pick Press Conference. Vice President of Football Operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addresses the media following the selection of wide receiver Anthony Schwartz as the 91st overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Paul DePodesta | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Post Pick Press Conference. Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta addresses the media following the selection of linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah as the 52nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Greg Newsome II Press Conference. New Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II addresses the media following his selection as the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Andrew Berry & Kevin Stefanski | End of Draft Day 1 Press Conference. Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski address the media following day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft. Dee and Jimmy Haslam Pre-Draft Press Conference. Cleveland Browns owners' Dee and Jimmy Haslam address the media via Zoom on April 27, 2021. They discuss the 2021 NFL draft being in Cleveland, how they feel about the current roster and excitement to add players in the 2021 NFL Draft. Andrew Berry: "We've gone from about 1,100 prospects to a draft board containing 168 players." Executive Vice President, Football Operations & General Manager Andrew Berry addressed the media via Zoom on April 23, 2021. Andrew discusses how the organization has been preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft, how the roster has shaped up through free agency and picking up the fifth-year option for quarterback Baker Mayfield. Kevin Stefanski "It's important everyone understands that we need to improve" Head Coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the media on April 20, 2021 and discussed the upcoming draft, the offseason program and the new additions to the roster from free agency. BrownsMedia #PressConference. Andrew Berry: "We'll have plenty of opportunities to improve the team" Executive Vice President, Football Operations & General Manager, Andrew Berry addressed the media on March 3, 2021. BrownsMedia #PressConference. Kevin Stefanski: "We have to get better, we have to evolve" Kevin Stefanski addressed the media via Zoom on March 2, 2021. Andrew Berry: "I couldn't be prouder of our entire group." General Manager Andrew Berry addressed the media via Zoom on January 20, 2021. Andrew discussed this season's accomplishments, Baker Mayfield's contributions to the team's success, his approach to contract extensions, building up the defense, his work this offseason, and what he learned from this challenging and unpredictable season. Kevin Stefanski: "We definitely achieved a lot, but ultimately came up short." Kevin Stefanski addressed the media via Zoom on January 18, 2021. Kevin discussed yesterday's Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, what they've achieved this season, where Baker has improved the most, the value of the Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb tandem, and what the next step is for the team going into the next season. Myles Garrett Postgame Press Conference vs. Chiefs. Defensive lineman Myles Garrett addressed the media following the Browns' 22-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on January 17, 2021. Baker Mayfield Postgame Press Conference vs. Chiefs. Quarterback Baker Mayfield addressed the media following the Browns' 22-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on January 17, 2021. Kevin Stefanski Postgame Press Conference vs. Chiefs. Head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the media following the Browns' 22-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on January 17, 2021. Postgame Press Conference vs. Chiefs. Jarvis Landry meets with the media after the Browns 22-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Kevin Stefanski: "These guys have shown this season that they're willing to fight and compete." Kevin Stefanski addressed the media via Zoom on January 15, 2021. Kevin discussed the team's resilience throughout the season and playoffs, having the coaching staff back this week, 's return to the field, and the challenges he expects from Kansas City this Sunday.