Watch: Baker Mayfield throws perfect Hail Mary pass vs. Cardinals
Bayer Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns are in a tough spot at home against the NFL's only undefeated team, the Arizona Cardinals. Having come in for some heavy criticism in recent weeks and even more so after the loss to the LA Chargers.
Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have so far shown a clean set of heels to the Browns as they led 23-7 with just seconds left in the first half. The score heading into the halftime break looked for all the money.
Mayfield completes Hail Mary
With the last play of the half and needing points to keep up with one of the league's highest scoring offenses, Baker Mayfield needed something special and he got it.
In his own territory, Mayfield dialed up the launch codes and threw for the endzone. Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones rose up and snatched Mayfield's 53-yard pass to bring the Browns closer to Arizona. Watch it below.
Baker Mayfield with a 53-yard hail mary TD to DPJ 🎯🔥 #Browns
https://t.co/Av36lP5kld
While the throw itself was something of a lucky break as more often than not, the ball is broken up by the defense. However, after closer inspection, the Arizona Cardinals defense's scheme and play call left a lot to be desired.
I...am a little perplexed by the Cardinals' approach to the hail mary here 😬 https://t.co/bRETxAKKDE
It certainly puzzled many fans. Baker Mayfield and the Browns only had one thing in mind with just seconds left in the half, get it to the end zone. So why would the Arizona defense have four players essentially guarding the space 10 - 15 yards ahead of the endzone?
This has perhaps made Mayfield's Hail Mary attempt easier as there simply weren't enough defenders around the ball to break up the play.
Another thing worth noting about Baker Mayfield's Hail Mary attempt. It traveled 66.4 yards in the air which is incredible and had just a 15.4% chance of being completed.
Baker Mayfield's Hail Mary 57-yard touchdown pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones traveled 66.4 yards in the air, the longest completed pass in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016) by 2.0 yards.
🔸 Completion Probability: 15.4%
#AZvsCLE | #Browns https://t.co/7iBWUg60V8
Mayfield's pass is level with Russell Wilson's 55-yard TD pass to David Moore, which traveled 66.4 yards in the air before Mayfield's pass tied the record. It was the longest since 2017.
Russell Wilson's 55-yard TD to David Moore traveled 64.4 yards in the air, the longest completed pass over the last four seasons by air distance (since 2017).
➤ Completion Probability: 17.8%
#SEAvsBUF | #Seahawks https://t.co/2bwI94o3uf
So while the Browns had a rather tough half against the undefeated Cardinals, they at least had something to hang their hat on going into halftime.