Browns coach Gregg Williams told his team that if it defeated the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, he would give them Tuesday off.
Williams was true to his word after Cleveland’s 28-16 victory — its third of the season after the Browns combined to win four over the past three years. And Williams took it one step further by sending his club home Monday as well, giving them the full bye week off.
The team can thank a pair of rookies — quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Nick Chubb — for its free time.
Cleveland (3-6-1) has endured 10 straight losing seasons and while 2018 will likely result in No. 11, it won’t be long before Mayfield, Chubb and Co. end that streak of futility.
Mayfield was 17 of 20 for 216 yards and three touchdowns while Chubb rushed for 176 yards and a score and added 33 yards receiving and a score versus Atlanta. Chubb’s 92-yard TD was the longest run from scrimmage in Cleveland history.
Chubb praised his quarterback, telling reporters: “He is just a great leader, and you know no matter what is going on around us or outside noise just the bad stuff that has not gone well for us, he is going to give us all 100 percent and he is not going to let it affect him.”
Mayfield has completed 68.9 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and two interceptions over his last four games, but knows there’s more work to do.
“We have to build on it,” Mayfield told reporters. “We have to find the positives this week. We had a lot of positives this week, so it will be about how we handle that. It’s about not realizing that we’ve made it, because we haven’t.”
–WR Rashard Higgins caught a 28-yard touchdown pass Sunday for his only reception of the game. Higgins, who missed three games with a knee injury, has 20 catches for 290 yards and two TDs this season.
–DE Myles Garrett has a club-most nine sacks but didn’t record one Sunday after totaling four in his previous three games.
–RB Nick Chubb rushed for a career-high 176 yards Sunday, including a 92-yard touchdown for the longest run from scrimmage in Cleveland history. He also registered his first career TD reception.
–RB Duke Johnson caught an 11-yard touchdown pass Sunday. He has three TDs this season — all receiving.
–LB Jamie Collins recorded nine tackles Sunday, giving him a team-high 71 — seven for loss.
