NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – APRIL 25: Nick Bosa of Ohio State reacts after being chosen #2 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The Cleveland Browns did not have a fun first half on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers, and Nick Bosa rubbed some salt in the wound by trolling Baker Mayfield’s “flag” celebration back in college.
Athletes don’t forget insults, and they tend to relish the opportunity to give receipts. Although Cleveland Browns star quarterback Baker Mayfield is usually the one with the chip on his shoulder with an eye on repaying the critics, he got served on Monday Night Football by San Francisco 49res rookie edge defender Nick Bosa.
Back in college, Mayfield “planted the flag” in a postgame celebration when his Oklahoma Sooners defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes.
While Mayfield would later apologize for the celebration, it looks like Bosa, who was a star for Ohio State, did not forgive or forget.
He used that same celebration against Baker after sacking the Cleveland quarterback.
Revenge truly is a dish best served cold.
Speaking of “cold”, that’s the best way to describe the Browns offense in the first half of this heated Monday Night Football game against the undefeated 49ers, who look like a surprise team (and serious contenders) in the NFC.
The Browns were down 21-3 at the half, as Bosa and DeForest Buckner both had sacks on Mayfield, who was 7-16 with interceptions to K’Waun Williams and elite cornerback Richard Sherman.
It has been an up-and-down star to the season for the Browns, who seemed to be in control of their destiny in the AFC North after an impressive 40-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens. But now, it looks like the Browns have fallen back, perhaps struggling with the weight of their first preseason with playoff expectations.
Browns fans can only hope that their offense plays to its potential consistently, as it did against Baltimore. Meanwhile, 49ers fans will be itching for more dominant defense in 2019.