Steelers’ Rudolph: ‘No acceptable excuse’ for role in brawl

PITTSBURGH—Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph wanted to get away from Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.

The way Rudolph went about it—a process that contributed to a brawl that culminated with Rudolph getting smacked in the head with his own helmet and led to Garrett getting suspended by the NFL indefinitely—is one of the first-year starter’s regrets.

Saying “there is no acceptable excuse,” Rudolph said his behavior in the final moments of last Thursday’s 21-7 loss to the Browns fell short of the standard set by the league and the Steelers.

“The bottom line is I should have done a better job keeping my composure in that situation,” Rudolph said Wednesday while reading from a prepared statement before briefly taking questions from reporters.

Garrett and Rudolph became entangled on the next-to-last Steelers snap of Cleveland’s lopsided 21-7 victory. Rudolph flipped a short pass to running back Jaylen Samuels just before getting hit by Garrett, who twisted Rudolph to the ground as play continued downfield.

Rudolph took exception to Garrett wrapping him up, calling it “late.” Rudolph said he was trying to separate himself from Garrett—who was not flagged on the play—when he briefly grabbed the back of the 6-foot-4, 272-pound Garrett’s helmet.

“It was the last play of the game and I was just trying to get him from off on top of me,” Rudolph said.

Garrett responded by tugging at Rudolph’s facemask, eventually ripping it off and holding it high while Steelers guard David DeCastro attempted to separate them. Rudolph scrambled to his feet and gave chase in an apparent attempt to retrieve his helmet. Garrett then swung the helmet at Rudolph, connecting on the right side of Rudolph’s head. The chaos that followed included Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey punching and kicking Garrett and Rudolph getting knocked to the ground by a blind-side hit from Cleveland defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.

In addition to handing out a record suspension to Garrett, the NFL banned Pouncey for three games and ordered Ogunjobi to sit out on Sunday when the Browns host Miami. All three players are appealing. Rudolph said he has not been notified of any fine for his actions but will accept whatever punishment the league metes out.

“I have no ill will toward Myles Garrett, great respect for his ability as a player,” Rudolph said. “And I know if Myles could go back he would handle the situation differently.”

Rudolph said he “definitely didn’t say anything” to escalate the situation with Garrett, calling the ordeal “an unfortunate situation for both teams involved.” Rudolph lamented that his actions led directly to Pouncey’s retaliation against Garrett that resulted in Pittsburgh (5-5) potentially losing the seven-time Pro Bowler during a critical stretch that will go a long way to determining whether they stay in the playoff picture.


“Probably one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.,” Rudolph said of Pouncey. “A guy that you want on your team. He has your back. He has everybody’s back on this team. … I put him in a bad spot and we’re looking to get him back as soon as possible whenever that is.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Bill Belichick wins 300th, perfect Patriots beat Browns 27-13

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Bill Belichick was 39 years old when he coached the Cleveland Browns to a win over the New England Patriots in 1991 — his first as an NFL coach.

As Belichick trotted toward the center of the field Sunday, his trademark cutoff hooded sweatshirt soaked in rain following the Patriots’ 27-13 win over the Browns, he did so as a member of a small, but elite group of coaches.


Tom Brady threw for 259 yards and two touchdown passes to help Belichick earn his 300th career victory in the Patriots’ win.

Belichick sits behind only Don Shula (347) and George Halas (324) on the NFL’s all-time list.

“Fortunately I didn’t play in any of those games,” Belichick said. “I was a part of those, but honestly, players win games in this league and I’ve been fortunate to coach a lot of great ones.”

The Patriots improved to 8-0 for the third time in team history and the first time since 2015, when they started 10-0. The Browns have lost three straight games.


Brady completed 20 of 36 passes, hitting Julian Edelman on eight of them for 78 yards and both TDs.

New England capitalized on three first-quarter turnovers by Cleveland to take a 17-0 lead. Running back Nick Chubb had back-to-back fumbles and quarterback Baker Mayfield had an interception.

The Patriots have now forced a league-high 25 turnovers this season.

Safety and captain Devin McCourty said they now come into games expecting to force two or three turnovers.

“It’s an awareness to hunt the football,” he said. “As a defense we all know that.”


The Browns did trim New England’s lead to 17-10 early in the third quarter. But the Patriots struck right back on their next possession, using a 59-yard completion from Brady to James White to help set up a 14-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Edelman.

Chubb ran for 131 yards, and Mayfield finished 20 of 31 for 194 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots have now won 21 straight games against first- or second-year signal callers, the longest such streak in NFL history.

Cleveland’s first-quarter turnovers came on three consecutive plays.

After the Patriots took a 3-0 lead, Chubb took a handoff from Mayfield but had the ball inadvertently kicked out of his hands by left guard Joel Bitonio . It was scooped up by Dont’a Hightower and returned 26 yards for a touchdown.

On the first play of the ensuing series after the Patriots’ kickoff landed out of bounds, Chubb got the ball again, this time getting around the edge and scampering 44 yards down the sideline.

He appeared headed for a touchdown, but New England cornerback Jonathan Jones gave pursuit and hammered the ball from Chubb’s hands on the Patriots 4. It was recovered McCourty.

Following a Patriots’ punt, the Browns’ next series ended when Lawrence Guy broke into the backfield and stepped in front of Mayfield’s shovel pass attempt to Jarvis Landry on the Cleveland 16 for his first-career interception.

New England needed just two plays after the changeover for Brady to connect with Edelman for an 8-yard touchdown.

“They’re going to take advantage of stuff like that. That’s jut the kind of team they are,” Mayfield said. “This isn’t Nick Chubb’s fault. He’s going to be very hard on himself.”

Cleveland finally found some traction in the second quarter on their sixth possession, capping a six-play, 54-yard drive with a 21-yard pass from Mayfield to Demetrius Harris.



The Browns made a handful of changes on both sides of the ball in hopes of ending a two-game losing streak to the Patriots.

On offense Justin McCray made his first-career start left tackle in place of Greg Robinson. Starting cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams returned to the lineup on defense after missing the past four games with hamstring injuries.

The Patriots tested both early on.

On New England’s second drive of the game Phillip Dorsett beat Williams along the sideline and caught a 33-yard pass from Brady to get the Patriots into Browns territory.

But after the Patriots extended the drive by converting on a fourth-and-7 on the Browns 33, Ward nearly intercepted Brady’s third-and-2 pass into the end zone intended for Dorsett. New England settled for a field goal.

Brady said they are already looking to add to Belichick’s win total.

“The only thing better than 300 is 301,” he said.

STREAK BUSTER

Mayfield’s TD pass to Harris in the second quarter ended a 71-0 scoring streak by the Patriots. They scored the final 21 points in their win over the Giants on Oct. 10 and then shut out the Jets 33-0 last week.

BAD COMPANY

Cleveland’s three turnovers on three consecutive offensive plays marked the first time any team has done so since the Dolphins did it in Week 1 of the 2012 season against the Texans. It is only the seventh time it has been done since 2000.

UP NEXT

The Browns visit Denver. The Patriots are at Baltimore.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Mayfield and Chubb combine to carry Browns past Ravens 40-25

BALTIMORE — Finally, Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns lived up to the hype.

Even better, the brash quarterback and the long suffering franchise celebrated their coming out party with a lopsided victory over a longtime nemesis.


Mayfield threw for 342 yards and a touchdown, Nick Chubb ran for a pivotal 88-yard score and the Browns beat the Baltimore Ravens 40-25 Sunday to earn a share of first place in the AFC North.

Chubb finished with 165 yards and three touchdowns against the league’s third-ranked rushing defense. Jarvis Landry had eight catches for 167 yards before leaving with a suspected concussion, and Odell Beckham Jr. had two catches for 20 yards in a supporting role.

The addition of Beckham and the maturation of Mayfield, combined with an improved defense, created high expectations for the Browns (2-2) during the offseason. Then Cleveland started 1-2, losing twice at home. Worse, Mayfield threw five interceptions and just three touchdown passes.

None of that mattered after the Browns breezed past the Ravens.

“We know how good we can be. That’s the frustrating part about how we started,” Mayfield said. “We just need to do our job and that’s what guys did this week.”

First-year coach Freddie Kitchens concurred.

“You keep your head down and keep working, usually good things happen,” he said. “You turn the corner.”

Cleveland kept Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson in check and used a mixture of Mayfield’s passing and Chubb’s physical running to rip the Ravens for 530 yards — the second straight week Baltimore (2-2) yielded more than 500 yards.

“We’ve just got to clean it up and guys do their job. Simple as that,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re not doing our assignment the way we’re supposed to, too many times, and it’s costing us big plays.”

Mayfield hit Landry for 65 yards and connected with Ricky Seals-Jones for 59. Then, of course, there was that 88-yard run. In all, the Browns had 10 plays of at least 16 yards.

As a result, Cleveland finds itself tied atop the division with the Ravens, who won it last year. It’s the first time Cleveland has been in first place after four games since 2013.

“We haven’t really won anything,” Kitchens conceded. “Guys, it’s just one game.”

Still, it’s worth noting that Cleveland went 1-15 in 2016 and 0-16 just two years ago, and this victory came against a team that owned a 30-10 lead in a series that began in 1999 — three years after Art Modell moved the original Browns to Baltimore.

Jackson’s deft passing and elusive running were a key part of Baltimore’s 2-0 start, but for a second straight week he couldn’t make up for his own team’s porous defense. He got the Ravens to 24-18 with 9:51 left before Chubb took a pitch deep in his own territory, burst through a hole on the right side and ran untouched into the end zone.

“Anybody could have ran through that hole,” Chubb said.

A subsequent fourth-down gamble by Baltimore failed before Jackson threw successive interceptions. The first one ended a run of 248 passes without being picked off.

Jackson went 24 of 34 for 247 yards and three scores. He had 66 yards rushing.

Down 17-10, the Ravens were moving for the potential tying score when Mark Ingram had the ball pried loose by Jermaine Whitehead, and Chad Thomas recovered at the Cleveland 26. It was Baltimore’s first turnover of the season.

The Browns immediately went the other way and grabbed a two-touchdown advantage late in the third quarter with a 2-yard run by Chubb.

CHOKE HOLD

Beckham and Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey tangled several times during the game and got into a heated scuffle in the third quarter. Beckham threw a punch and Humphrey choked him after they wrestled to the ground. Both players were penalized.

“I ran to him after the game, apologized,” Humphrey said. “That’s not really the brand of football I really want to represent. When the whistle blows, it’s got to be over with.”

HAIL BRIAN

The Ravens inducted former coach Brian Billick into the team’s Ring of Honor, adding his name to the facade on the upper deck. Billick led Baltimore to a Super Bowl victory during the 2000 season and went 85-67 from 1999-2007.

INJURIES

Browns: Starting CBs Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams were inactive with hamstring injuries for a second straight week. … LB Willie Harvey left in the first quarter with a shoulder injury and did not return.

Ravens: DT Brandon Williams (knee) was placed on the inactive list after struggling during a pregame workout.

UP NEXT

Browns: For the second time in three weeks, Cleveland plays in prime time, facing the San Francisco 49ers on the road Monday night.

Ravens: In the second of three successive AFC North games, Baltimore travels to Pittsburgh to face the rival Steelers (0-3 entering Monday night game vs. Cincinnati).

source: sports.inquirer.net

Browns stars Baker Mayfield, OBJ rip NY Giants

BEREA, Ohio — Maybe it’s good the Browns and Giants won’t play this season.

They’re already trash-talking.


Comments by brash Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. created a stir at the training camps for both teams Tuesday, adding extra heat to brutally humid weather conditions.

Mayfield, the outspoken and uninhibited second-year QB, strangely took a swipe at the Giants and rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, the team’s first-round pick this year and potential heir apparent to Eli Manning.

In an interview with GQ, Mayfield said he was stunned the Giants would draft someone such as Jones, who played at Duke and was not considered one of the top QBs in this year’s class.

“Blows my mind,” Mayfield told the magazine, adding he thinks NFL teams are flawed in their quarterback evaluation. “Some people overthink it. That’s where people go wrong. They forget you’ve gotta win.”


Mayfield’s remarks were then presented to Jones, who was somewhat shocked by them because he doesn’t know Cleveland’s quarterback.

“I try not to listen to much that’s said,” Jones said. “I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that. I heard that before. I kind of have the same mindset, I certainly have a lot to focus on here, I have a lot to worry about here and I’m focused on that.”

He doesn’t have any background or known beef with Mayfield, which is why Jones was somewhat caught off guard.

“I have never spoken to him,” said Jones, who went 17-19 in college. “He has an opinion. A lot of people have opinions.”

While Mayfield’s feelings may have rubbed some the wrong way, first-year Browns coach Freddie Kitchens was unfazed.


Kitchens dismissed the idea that anything Mayfield says or does will make the Browns, who have huge expectations after a 7-8-1 season and the arrival of Beckham, any more of a target.

“We don’t care, all right?” Kitchens said, when asked if the bull’s-eye on the Browns had grown. “It is already on there so it does not matter. We will be ready to play. I do not know what a ‘bull’s-eye’ is,” he said. “I do not know what that is. Does anybody know? Does anybody know what a bull’s-eye is? If they are not trying to beat our ass and we are not trying to beat their ass, I do not know what else you do.

“That is what we are going to try and do, and hopefully, they try and do the same.”

Following practice, Mayfield posted on Instagram that his comments about Jones were taken out of context.

“This is not what I said … just so we’re clear,” Mayfield wrote. “I also said I was surprised I got drafted number one. Then was talking about the flaws in evaluating QBs. Where I brought up winning being important. Reporters and media will do anything to come up with a clickbait story. Heard nothing but good things and wish nothing but the best for Daniel.”

The former No. 1 overall pick is scheduled to meet with reporters Wednesday.

As for Beckham, he can’t seem to shake the Giants despite insisting he has moved on from his drama-filled days with them.

In a Sports Illustrated cover story, the three-time Pro Bowler said New York turned down better trade offers to send him to Cleveland in March. The Browns acquired Beckham and defensive end Olivier Vernon for guard Kevin Zeitler, safety Jabrill Peppers and first- and third-round picks.

“This wasn’t no business move,” he told SI. “This was personal. They thought they’d send me here to die.”

Shurmur, who spent part of last season sparring with Beckham or dealing with the endless theater that seems to follow him, chose not to engage any further with his former player.

“Quite frankly on our list of issues of the day it really doesn’t matter what Odell or Baker says,” Shurmur said. “There are many other things we probably should be discussing. Again, we wish him (Beckham) well and it was a trade. We said that all along, I said I would not comment on what he says about the situation.”

Beckham has acknowledged struggling in the weeks after the deal. He skipped almost all of Cleveland’s offseason program but he’s been adamant that he’s adjusted to his new team and city.

Kitchens believes Beckham.

“No doubt. When he came back, he was all in — exactly what he promised me he would do,” Kitchens said. “I trust him. He trusts me. I will not betray him. I do not think he will betray me.”

NOTES: Pro Bowl DE Myles Garrett missed practice with an unspecified illness. … Mayfield and Kitchens were presented with jerseys by Columbus Blue Jackets’ Nick Foligno and Brandon Dubinsky, who came to camp to show their support for the Browns. Kitchens followed the NHL club’s playoff run last season, and he’s amazed by the skill level it takes to play hockey. Has he ever tried the sport? “No, I am from Alabama,” he quipped. “There are no hockey sticks. There is a football, baseball and basketball and that is about it. ”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Browns ‘sticking’ with plan to start Taylor over Mayfield

BEREA, Ohio — He’s still Baker the backup.

Despite rookie Baker Mayfield’s stellar performance in his NFL preseason debut, the Cleveland Browns are not moving the No. 1 overall pick into the starting lineup ahead of Tyrod Taylor.

“National hype,” quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese said Sunday, downplaying the outside push to elevate Mayfield after one game. “We have our plan, we’re sticking to it and when it changes we’ll all know.”


Mayfield won over some doubters on Thursday night in a 20-10 win over the New York Giants. The Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma threw two touchdown passes to tight end David Njoku and showed pocket poise and awareness while completing 11 of 20 passes for 212 yards.

The reviews on Mayfield were beyond exceptional, leading to cries that he should jump Taylor, who went 5 for 5 for 99 yards and posted a perfect 158.3 rating during his two series.

Zampese was pleased with everything he saw from Mayfield, but he cautioned against putting too much into his first taste of pro football.

“He’s had 22 preseason NFL snaps,” Zampese said. “He has a long way to go and we’re encouraged with where he’s at right now.”

The feeling is the same about Taylor, who was acquired from Buffalo during the offseason. The 29-year-old has been everything the Browns could have hoped as a leader and mentor to Mayfield.

“He’s our guy, and that’s what he is,” Zampese said, “and to keep bringing it up is the only reason why anybody put a cloud in anybody’s head. So let’s get on with him being the guy and let’s get on to playing and winning and doing what we’re supposed to do and what we’re here for.”

Zampese, who previously worked as Cincinnati’s quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, gushed when describing what Taylor has brought to the Browns — and what he means to Mayfield.

“Tyrod sets the bar for consistency,” Zampese said. “There’s no doubt about it. There’s no man I can think of more consistent than him — when he gets here, how he is when he’s here, taking care of his body, study habits, leading the team on the field. The bar is set very high. It’s fantastic.”


During his interview session, Zampese bristled at the idea that Taylor was just holding a spot until Mayfield is ready.

“I’m not going to talk about keeping the seat warm,” Zampese snapped. “I think he’s going to be very successful for us this year, which is the only year that matters. And I like where he’s at, I like where he’s going, I love his leadership, the way he’s aggressively going about being the leader of this team, completing balls and moving us down the field.”

source: sports.inquirer.net