Kings of Ohio

Baker Mayfield had the look of a player pushing through a cracked rib early in Sunday’s road game against the Cincinnati Bengals, and a league source confirmed that’s exactly what the Browns quarterback is enduring.

But Mayfield bounced back from his nightmarish outing a week ago in a blowout loss in Pittsburgh and his rough start in Cincinnati to complete a franchise-record 21 consecutive passes and ultimately help the Browns prevail 37-34 over the Bengals.

“This game’s going to give this offense confidence to realize that we can believe and trust in everybody,” Mayfield said on Zoom. “And we always have a chance if we believe.”

The Browns improved to 5-2, their best record through seven games since 1994, when they defeated the Bengals 37-13 on Oct. 23 to improve to 6-1. The Bengals dropped to 1-5-1 and were swept by the Browns, who also defeated them 35-30 in Week 2.

The revelation about the specific nature of the injury Mayfield suffered Oct. 11 in a 32-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts first became public when CBS play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes uttered it on the air shortly before kickoff at Paul Brown Stadium.

For the second consecutive week, Mayfield’s first pass resulted in an interception. He also began Sunday’s game 0-of-5 passing.

Then Mayfield caught fire. He finished 22-of-28 passing (78.6%) for 297 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. He posted a passer rating of 135.6 and didn’t take a sack.

After the Bengals scored to take a three-point lead, the Browns began the ensuing possession at their 25 with 1:06 left in the fourth quarter.

Mayfield said he and backup quarterback Case Keenum concluded the Bengals “left us too much time” while they talked on the Browns’ sideline.

“[When I] got out on the field, everybody was talking about we had to get around the 30 for a field goal,” Mayfield said. “And I told the guys, ‘Screw that. We’re going to go win it. There’s no need to settle for that. Let’s just go do our job.’”

Then Mayfield delivered in the clutch. He threw the 24-yard game-winning touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones with 11 seconds left to play, capping a five-play, 75-yard drive.

Two plays earlier, Mayfield connected with receiver Rashard Higgins for a 30-yard gain. Then a spike to stop the clock with 16 seconds left ended Mayfield’s consecutive completion streak. Bernie Kosar (1989) and Kelly Holcomb (2003) shared the previous club record with 16 completions in a row.

“That’s mentally where I’m used to being at — that I can make any throw,” said Mayfield, whose five TD passes also tied a Browns record.

Peoples-Jones and Higgins made those catches in crunch time while being covered by cornerback Darius Phillips, who picked Mayfield off in the first quarter.

“Those guys made unbelievable plays,” Mayfield said of Peoples-Jones and Higgins. “[Phillips] got me earlier in the game, and I had to get him back.”

Cody Parkey missed the extra-point kick after Peoples-Jones scored, and the Browns survived rookie quarterback Joe Burrow’s incomplete Hail Mary pass in the end zone to hang on for the victory.

Peoples-Jones had three catches on three targets for 56 yards and a touchdown. Higgins had six catches on six targets for 110 yards.

They played more prominent roles than usual partly because starting wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered what the Browns fear is a serious left knee injury in the first quarter during Phillips’ interception return. The Browns won’t know the full extent of the injury until Beckham undergoes an MRI on Monday morning, and coach Kevin Stefanski declined on Zoom to speculate whether the injury involved the anterior cruciate ligament.

Mayfield explained he felt partly responsible for the injury because it happened after an interception on a pass intended for Beckham. At halftime, Mayfield revealed he and Beckham spoke.

“I told him I love him,” Mayfield said. “And he said, ‘Go be great.’”

One of Mayfield’s finest moments came on a second-and-7 play early in the fourth quarter when he threw a 16-yard scoring strike to tight end David Njoku, who made the catch in the end zone despite close coverage by safety Vonn Bell. Mayfield’s third touchdown pass of the game and 15th consecutive completion gave the Browns a 24-20 lead with 13:13 remaining.

However, the Bengals and Burrow fired back. Burrow and rookie wide receiver Tee Higgins connected for a 16-yard touchdown, allowing the Bengals to go ahead 27-24 with 8:45 remaining. Earlier during the 12-play, 80-yard drive, Browns cornerback Terrance Mitchell dropped a would-be interception.

Mayfield and Co. kept the shootout going.

On second-and-7, Mayfield completed his 18th consecutive pass for an 8-yard touchdown to running back Kareem Hunt. The score finished a seven-play, 75-yard drive, and the Browns captured a 31-27 advantage with 4:53 to play.