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Stefanski labels Mayfield's Week 1 performance 'inconsistent'

Will Newton / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Cleveland Browns suffered their 16th straight season-opening loss Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, as Baker Mayfield and the offense struggled to move the ball consistently.

Although head coach Kevin Stefanski noted the Week 1 defeat isn't solely on Mayfield, he called his quarterback's performance "inconsistent," per NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala.

"Baker had some really good moments," Stefanski told reporters, according to ESPN's Jake Trotter. "Some moments he wants back. But I'm not pinning blame on any one person."

Mayfield completed 21 of 39 passes for 189 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against the Ravens. He targeted Odell Beckham Jr. a team-high 10 times, but the two only connected three times for 22 yards.

Despite throwing to Beckham four more times than the next-closest receiver, Stefanski didn't feel as if the third-year passer was forcing the ball to his top target.

"We didn't connect as much as we'd like to, it was a combination of things," he said, via Kinkhabwala. "(There were a) couple balls I'm sure Baker wants back, couple routes I'm sure Odell wants back."

The Browns' Week 2 contest is at home against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football, and the quick turnaround is one reason why Cleveland's head coach won't push the panic button this early in the campaign.

"I don't get too high or too low," Stefanski said. "This is a long season, we're one game into this ... The best thing we have going for us is we have a game coming up on Thursday night."

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