TAMPA, Fla. -- Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was miffed that a helmet-to-helmet hit on him after a long fourth-quarter run in Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the Bucs wasn't flagged.

The officials threw the flag on the play, but then picked it back up, saying Mayfield was a runner when safety Jordan Whitehead drilled him in the head. The problem is, he had already initiated his slide.

"There's a lot of stuff being put on protecting the quarterback,'' said Mayfield. "It doesn't seem like the Browns are getting a lot of calls. They can review and they can say I was a runner, but I started my slide. It's helmet-to-helmet contact. I felt it. But I got up and let the guy know he's going to have to hit me a lot harder than that if he wants to affect me."

Head referee Shawn Hochuli announced over the loudspeaker after the flag was picked up, "the quarterback is still a runner and therefore is allowed to be hit in the head. He had not yet begun his slide. There is no foul.''

But Browns coach Hue Jackson, who argued a number of the Browns' 14 penalties for 114 yards, demanded clarification.

"They said he was a runner,'' Jackson said. "What I know is he should be protected once he starts to slide. He says 'No, he was like any other normal runner who's out there running,' but I thought he had slid and got down before he got hit. That's what the guy said to me. He said he's not afforded that protection out there. That was different from what I know."

The NFL declined to comment on the non-call after the game, and no pool report was requested.

Mayfield had scrambled 35 yards for a first down to the Tampa Bay 41 on the play. A 15-yard penalty would've moved the Browns to the 26. He got the Browns down to the 2, but Nick Chubb gained only a yard on third down and then Mayfield was stopped on a quarterback sneak on fourth and 1 with 4:55 left in regulation.

Browns receiver Jarvis Landry helped make up for it by laying out for a 16-yard TD catch that tied it at 23 with 2:28 left in the game.

Still, Landry was as mad about the non-call on Mayfield as anything else after the game.

"Tom Brady gets that call,'' he said. "Aaron Rodgers gets that call. Any other quarterback gets that call. It's tough to beat a team and feel like you're playing against another team as well (the officials). It's a problem. It's really a problem.''

Landry added, "All quarterbacks turn into a runner but when they slide, they get their protection back. I don't understand the difference, and he hit them in the head. He hit him in the head.''

He lamented that Browns defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah was flagged 15 yards for roughing on Jameis Winston for what seemed like a lesser offense.

"All he did was jump,'' said Landry. "He didn't even touch him in the head. It makes no sense.''

He added, "We're the most penalized team in the NFL. Every week it's 12-15 penalties. Nobody listens. It's not to attack the referees, but somebody should be taking a look at this stuff. We get apologies, but it's game-changing plays. People's jobs, lives are at stake. I don't understand why it's not a bigger issue.''



Fortunately for the Browns, Mayfield didn't suffer a concussion on the play.



The Browns will send it into the NFL for clarification, but as usual, it won't do them any good.



