Baker Mayfield planning to go against Steelers

The Cleveland Browns and quarterback Baker Mayfield dodged a major bullet on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

Mayfield injured his ribs during the fourth quarter of the win when he was hit by Colts defensive end Justin Houston on a play that resulted in Mayfield’s second interception of the game. Mayfield landed hard on his right side and came up with his right arm looking hurt.

While he was able to finish the game, and X-rays showed no significant damage to his ribs, Mayfield said he was fortunate that the injury was not more serious, according to ESPN’s Jake Trotter:

“Yeah, kind of the whole right side — everything is intertwined right there. I’m lucky with the way that I landed that it was not directly on my shoulder — kind of rolled a little bit. Obviously, could have been a lot worse.”

Mayfield was reportedly limited in practice on Wednesday - the Browns listed him as limited with a chest injury - but he plans to hopefully be ready to go on Sunday when the 4-1 Browns take on the 4-0 Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, he told clevelandbrowns.com:

“Just one day at a time right now. Obviously, a little sore but that is why we have the rest of the week ‘til game day.”

Mayfield is coming off a game against the Colts where he was dynamic in the first half (19-of-28 for 224 yards and two touchdowns) and extremely pedestrian in the second half (two-of-nine for 19 yards and two interceptions).

Despite those struggles, the Browns were able to pull out their fourth consecutive victory and set up a marquee game with the Steelers.

The Browns enter the game ranked at No. 3 in the NFL with 31.2 points per game and No. 1 in rushing with 188.4 yards per game.

On the opposite side, the Steelers are at No. 6 in fewest points allowed at 21.8 a game, No. 2 against the run at 64 yards a game and 15th against the pass at 237.5 yards per game, according to The Beacon Journal.

To beat the Steelers, Cleveland’s offense needs to find a more consistent level of play, Mayfield told clevelandbrowns.com:

“We are efficient when we need to be. I think that consistency can always improve. There are little things you can always improve on, but when we need to be efficient right now we have made the plays, we have made the conversions, and that is why you are seeing this streak of wins. So, we have to continue to do that but also improve on the consistency when it is not just crucial times and just help ourselves out, we do not have to make it close.

We just need to keep getting better.”

If they can do that, the Browns have a very good chance of walking out of Heinz Field on the right side of the scoreboard for the first time since 2003.