Unsere Gaeste - Ecke » CLEVELAND (AP) — The losing has slowed

Darren Fells Jersey , but hasn't stopped for the ever-rebuilding Browns. They're in the midst of yet another coaching search, and the NFL playoffs are likely to come and go without them again this season — the 16th straight postseason since their most recent appearance.But as Cleveland hit its bye week, and with six games left in another season going nowhere, optimism abounds around a franchise that has had little to celebrate over the past 25 years.The dark days of despair are dwindling. Baker Mayfield is making them go away.The fearless rookie quarterback with the contagious personality, touchdown-making skills and trash-talking bravado, has the Browns — and their long-suffering fans — believing."It's not everything, but it's everything," guard Joel Bitonio said with a smile when asked about Mayfield's magnetism and positive influence. "You've got to have a quarterback to win in the NFL and it hasn't been perfect, but to have him out there with you, there's always that hope that, ‘Hey, we have a chance to win this game.'"The No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, Mayfield is changing the Browns (3-6-1) with his actions on and off the field. He's already endured years of chaos in just 10 games as Cleveland has changed coaches, traded its top playmaker (Josh Gordon) and leading rusher (Carlos Hyde), suffered numerous injuries and a few of those punch-in-the stomach losses that the Browns have seemingly mastered.But every time the Browns have taken a hard hit, Mayfield has responded with one of his own."We've got a quarterback who knows how to fight," said defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. "You want to play for a guy like that who inspires you. He comes to the defensive side of the ball like, ‘Hey, we're still in this. Just give me one more chance out there.' Guys on defense love that. They love a quarterback who can go out there and make a promise and say, ‘Hey T. J. Carrie Color Rush Jersey , I've got your back.'"Mayfield, who has gotten better every week, hasn't won the respect of his teammates. He's earned it.The Browns didn't hand the starting job to Mayfield, who began the season in a backup role before starter Tyrod Taylor suffered a concussion in Week 3 against the New York Jets on national TV. Mayfield came in and led the Browns to their first win since 2016, snapping a 19-game winless streak and providing a preview of bigger things to come.It hasn't been perfect so far. Mayfield has made his share of rookie mistakes, forcing passes, holding onto the ball too long, missing open receivers. But in the past four games, Mayfield has completed 69 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and just two interceptions.Despite winning the Heisman Trophy and going 33-6 as a starter at Oklahoma, Mayfield wasn't considered the top prospect in this year's ballyhooed rookie QB class, which includes Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen. Mayfield was too short, too cocky, too much a product of Sooners coach Lincoln Riley's system.Well, Mayfield has outperformed the other rookies across the board."He's developing as a quarterback," said Browns general manager John Dorsey, the man who went out on a limb and picked Mayfield. "He is still a rookie quarterback. He has demonstrated certain things during the course of a game that get you excited. I think that if you would ask him as a person, he still has a lot more football to master the position that he plays. I think he will continue to do that."Last week, after being encouraged by interim coach Gregg Williams and his teammates to "cut it loose and play," Mayfield delivered the signature performance and victory of his fledgling pro career.He completed his first 13 passes https://www.brownsfanshop.com , finished 17 of 20 with three touchdown passes and outplayed Atlanta quarterback and 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan as the Browns ended a four-game losing streak with a 28-16 win.Following the game, Mayfield smiled and said he woke up "feeling dangerous" before de-feathering the Falcons, who had their playoff hopes severely shaken.The comment might have come off as cocky to some, but it was Mayfield at his playful and bragging best, displaying the swagger that made him a college superstar and has endeared him to his Cleveland teammates.Make no mistake, at 23 and only 10 games into his NFL life, Mayfield is the Browns' undisputed leader, the tone-setter."He's taken the role head-first, never looking back," said rookie running back Nick Chubb, who rushed for 176 yards in the win. "He brings that energy and burst that we need. This team will follow him anywhere. 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."We like that in our quarterback and our leader, and he is fiercely competitive. He gives 100 percent every play. Just being on the team with him, everyone just likes it and loves him and loves who he is."The praise from Chubb and others fuel him."To me, there is nothing better than that," Mayfield said. "As a quarterback, and as somebody that wants to be a leader of this team, it does not get better than that."In Cleveland, things are getting a lot better. KANSAS CITY Browns Customized Color Rush Jerseys , Mo. 鈥?Mitchell Schwartz was chosen by Cleveland in the second round of the 2012 draft with the idea he could be the next Joe Thomas, or at the very least learn from the Browns‘ star offensive tackle.Well, he did learn a lot of lessons. The biggest may have been durability.Thomas once played 10,363 consecutive snaps over the span of 11 seasons before hurting his left arm in a game against Tennessee. The streak that began with Week 1 of his rookie year and survived a slew of injuries, including torn and strained knee ligaments and multiple high ankle sprains.Schwartz, who returns to Cleveland for the first time on the opposing sideline Sunday, has his own incredible streak going now that he’s with the Kansas City Chiefs.After playing every snap his first four seasons with the Browns, and continuing it during the past two-plus seasons in Kansas City, the snap count is up to 6,870 over the course of 104 games.“He’s done a heck of a job being able to endure,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “He had a good teacher he learned from, too, in Thomas. He had a nice streak going before he got hurt. Mitch has been tremendous. He’s one of the smartest linemen I’ve ever been around.”Schwartz filled a massive need when the Chiefs signed him to a five-year, $33 million deal, and he has met all expectations. Not only did he help protect Alex Smith during some of his best years, and is now keeping young quarterback Patrick Mahomes clean during his breakout season, Schwartz also paved the way for Kareem Hunt to win last year’s NFL rushing title as a rookie.So far, the Chiefs have allowed just 10 sacks 鈥?one behind the New Orleans Saints for fewest in the league 鈥?while leading the NFL in scoring and a number of other offensive categories. Delving deeper into the numbers, the Chiefs have a league-high 13 carries of at least 10 yards while running behind Schwartz on the right side of the offensive line.In other words, the soft-spoken Schwartz is a big reason Mahomes leads the NFL in yards passing and Hunt is fourth in the league in yards rushing.“Those two tackles are really good players Cleveland Browns T-Shirts , Schwartz and (left tackle Eric) Fisher. They’re the best we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said. “They’ve blocked us one-on-one from time to time and they win a lot against us.”That may be the most incredible part of Schwartz’s success rate: It has come against some of the best pass rushers in the NFL, including Broncos linebackers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.Elsewhere in the AFC West, he has to deal with the Chargers’ Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa, and until this past offseason, Raiders star Khalil Mack and his teammate Bruce Irvin.“I’ve been very blessed and fortunate to play and coach with a number of offensive linemen, and those guys never get the credit that they deserve,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “They get all the negative flack when they give up a sack or something, but those guys are the ultimate team players because they are going to do whatever it takes to win.”Even if it means playing through bumps and bruises to keep a consecutive snaps streak going.Schwartz acknowledged this week that it will be odd returning to Cleveland, where he learned from one of the best offensive tackles to ever play the game. He has good memories聽of playing with the Browns, even if they never won enough, and he’s looking forward to seeing some old friends.Once the game begins, though, Schwartz is worried only about helping Kansas City keep winning.“We just keep trusting. No one gets upset, starts screaming or any of that stuff,” Schwartz said. “We’re a pretty good offense, and if we go out there and do our jobs, it’s pretty hard to stop us.”NOTES: Strong safety Eric Berry (heel), C Mitch Morse (concussion) and LB Frank Zombo (hamstring) did not practice Thursday. LBs Justin Houston (hamstring) and Anthony Hitchens (ribs) were limited.100View Gallery Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta