Cleveland Browns fans were shocked to see how Baker Mayfield played last Sunday in Minnesota.
He was missing receivers left and right and could not seem to connect with Odell Beckham Jr.
The final line was 15/33 for 155 yards and no touchdowns.
So what was the problem?
One fair explanation was that it was simply a bad day.
However, we all learned Thursday that Mayfield is in fact dealing with a notable injury.
#Browns QB Baker Mayfield, who has been wearing a shoulder harness to play, suffered a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder on Sept 19 vs the #Texans, sources say. No surgery needed as of now. He was listed on the report after the injury and hasn’t missed a practice snap.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 7, 2021
A partially torn labrum is nothing to gloss over, even if it is in his non-throwing shoulder.
A Potential Factor
This injury was suffered in Week 2 when Mayfield made the terrible decision to try to make a tackle after throwing an interception.
He was bulldozed on the play, slamming his shoulder right into the ground.
At first it looked like a potential head injury, but rather it was his shoulder that took the damage.
If Mayfield suffered the injury in Week 2, that means he was dealing with it in Week 3 as well.
In that game he went 19/31 for 246 yards and a touchdown.
So it’s not like he has been a totally different player since the injury.
Mayfield in general has had major highs and lows since becoming the starter on a full-time basis.
A great game Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers should shift the focus away from the shoulder.
If he plays poorly, the shoulder will remain a storyline.
Browns Not Reliant On The QB
From NFL Now: #Browns QB Baker Mayfield has been playing with a partially torn labrum on his non-throwing side. pic.twitter.com/kRfyYOyE2V
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 7, 2021
The beautiful thing for Browns fans in Week 4 is that the team came away with a win in what was perhaps Mayfield’s worst game in his NFL career.
The defense held the Vikings to only seven points and the running duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combined for 169 yards on the ground.
So if Mayfield struggles, the rest of the team is there to bail him out.
That is the sign of a true contender.
With the running backs, the Vikings had to know runs were coming once it was clear Mayfield was off.
But how do you stop both Chubb and Hunt?
Stopping one is hard enough, and even if a defense gets a stop the other back can come in and provide a totally different dynamic.
As for the defense, fans heard all offseason how stacked the unit was in terms of talent.
The results are backing up the hype as the unit has back-to-back single-digit games by the opponent.
Shutting down Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense will be the real test.
At some point Mayfield will need to step up and provide consistent play.
But what we know for certain is that if he is off every so often, this team is strong enough to win anyway.
NEXT: 3 Positives For Browns Fans After Tight Week 4 Win