"Baker throwing for 4 TDs then getting a massage on the sideline to rub salt into Browns' wounds" - NFL fans conjure ultimate revenge theory with Baker Mayfield set to start against former team
Baker Mayfield fought off Sam Darnold and was named the Week 1 starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. As fate would have it, the Panthers will face Mayfield's former team, the Cleveland Browns, in their season opener.
Mayfield and the Browns were involved in a high-profile divorce, which saw the former No. 1 overall pick ousted in favor of the now-suspended Deshaun Watson. Though he is unlikely to admit it, Mayfield will be a man with a huge chip on his shoulder and will have a point to prove when the Browns come to town.
Naturally, the NFL community was at its creative best on social media, conjuring up ideas of how the Mayfield revenge game will play out. Twitter user Porchaageese had the most creative suggestion:
"Baker throwing for 4 TDs then getting a massage on the sideline to rub salt in the Browns' wounds."
While fans did not rule out the possibility of Mayfield receiving a massage on the sidelines, the idea of him throwing four touchdowns was less believable.
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Are the omens good for a Baker Mayfield victory in Week 1?
The Carolina Panthers will enter their Week 1 game with the Cleveland Browns as one-point favorites. History suggests that this may be a wise bet to take. Not only will Mayfield have revenge on his mind, but the Browns will also be without the man they chose to replace the former Heisman winner.
Deshaun Watson will be watching on from the sidelines as he begins his 11-game suspension for sexual misconduct. Former Colts QB Jacoby Brissett has been tasked with leading the Browns offense in Watson's absence and he will face an uphill battle on the opening weekend.
The Browns have not won an opening-week game since 2004, when they managed to overcome the Baltimore Ravens. The closest they have come since was a tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018.
However, the deck is even further stacked against Brissett, as the Browns will have to travel to Charlotte for the game. Week 1 wins on the road have been even harder to come by for Cleveland, having last celebrated a victory in 1994.
Analysts believe that a fast start to the season is fundamental to Cleveland's chances of progressing to the playoffs. They have been handed a very kind start, with four home games in their first six.
However, from Week 7 until Watson's stated return in Week 13, the Browns have a run of games which includes the Bengals, Ravens, Bills, Dolphins and Buccaneers. Should the Browns be beaten in Brissett's first game under center, the pressure on the back-up quarterback will quickly intensify.