The Cleveland Browns have received relentless attention when it comes to their new-look offense that features Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry at receiver.
The problem Thursday night: Neither of them played.
It would make sense, then, if Cleveland's offense didn't exactly resemble the Texas Tech offenses from the early 2000s. In fact, it ended up looking more like the University of Oregon offenses from the early 2010s.
Baker Mayfield led an uptempo, no-huddle attack on the offense's first possession of 2019 Thursday night, beginning with an incomplete pass intended for training camp standout Derrick Willies. It was his last incompletion of the night.
Check out photos of the Cleveland Browns vs the Washington Redskins at FirstEnergy Stadium by team photographer Matt Starkey
Running Back Dontrell Hilliard (25) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates a touchdown during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks to pass during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates a touchdown during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins (81) celebrates a touchdown during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates a touchdown during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) on the sideline during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide receiver Jaelen Strong (10) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Drew Stanton (5) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
The Browns huddle during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) makes a tackle during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Head Coach Freddie Kitchens during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) celebrates during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
FirstEnergy Stadium during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Defensive end Anthony Zettel (97) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) celebrates during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Safety Sheldrick Redwine (33) makes a tackle during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) cheers during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) celebrates his pick-six during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) celebrates his pick-six with defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) and defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Safety Damarious Randall (23) laughs on the sideline during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) celebrates his pick-six during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) returns an interception for a touchdown during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Garrett Gilbert (3) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Guard Austin Corbett (63) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Kicker Greg Joseph (17) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Defensive end Chad Thomas (92) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) celebrates his interception with linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) celebrates his interception during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Safety Damarious Randall (23) celebrates cornerback Greedy Williams' (26) interception during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) makes a tackle during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) on the sideline during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Head Coach Freddie Kitchens on the sideline during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Center JC Tretter (64) on the sideline during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide receiver Jaelen Strong (10) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Offensive tackle Drew Forbes (79) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback Garrett Gilbert (3) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong (52) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong (52) and cornerback Juston Burris (31) celebrate during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Cornerback Juston Burris (31) and defensive end Wyatt Ray (61) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) intercepts the ball during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) intercepts the ball during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) intercepts the ball during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Quarterback David Blough (9) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide Receiver Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi (15) during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide Receiver Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi (15) celebrates his touchdown during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Wide Receiver Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi (15) celebrates his touchdown during the Redskins vs. Browns preseason game.
Mayfield connected on his final six pass attempts, with each going for at least 10 yards and hurrying everyone on the field, as the Browns were again ready to snap the ball. In between, running back Nick Chubb ripped off a 12-yard gain on a draw run out of the shotgun. And finally, Mayfield connected with a familiar face in Rashard Higgins for a 24-yard touchdown, capping one of the more impressive drives you'll ever see. Seven plays and 89 yards in just 2:13.
It was so efficient, it almost looked predetermined. Scripted, perhaps.
"No, we were calling it as it goes," Mayfield said after the Browns' 30-10 win. "We kind of had an idea of what we wanted to do not really knowing exactly what they were going to come out when we were playing that fast. It was just seeing the adjustments and checking the ball down when they are carrying their seams and stuff like that. Get the ball down to your back quickly and let them do some work, and they did a good job."
A good job, indeed. So good, Higgins found himself ready to again walk the red carpet, and his quarterback was happy to take his photos.
"Baker is smart," Higgins said. "He is going on his second year and there is a lot of development that he has completed, and we only saw a taste of it today. He did a great job of reading coverages and doing what he does, which is win games."
The Browns won, though Mayfield's night ended after that successful drive. If it is a preview of things to come -- he did say there's a place and time for it, which is not always in the AFC North -- fans should expect more red carpet walks. And much more, once Beckham and Landry join the frenzy.
