Heavy on Browns
The Browns are facing backlash for continuing to start Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The Cleveland Browns turned to quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in hopes of jumpstarting their offense, but the second-year passer struggled to find his rhythm in a disappointing 24-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Thompson-Robinson finished the game with 157 yards and two interceptions. He was sacked five times and finished with a QB rating of 45.8. His inexperience was on display during the game, with Thompson-Robinson often escaping the pocket too early, creating issues for the offensive line and errant throws.
The goal with the move to Thompson-Robinson was to eliminate turnovers, which became too commonplace with Jameis Winston under center. Winston provided some exciting plays downfield but tossed 12 interceptions in seven starts.
Despite the lackluster outing against the Bengals, the Browns will continue rolling with Thompson-Robinson as their starting quarterback.
“If he’s healthy, and he should be,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said of Thompson-Robinson starting against the Miami Dolphins.
Winston is dealing with a shoulder injury, and Bailey Zappe served as Thompson-Robinson’s backup against the Bengals. Stefanski said he never thought about benching DTR.
Browns Accused of Tanking by Starting Dorian Thompson-Robinson
The decision to start Thompson-Robinson didn’t sit well with fans, with some feeling the team has decided to tank for a better draft pick.
“Stefanski just said DTR will start next week vs the Dolphins. I DECLARE…. TANKINNNNNNNNG!” one fan said. “This is not a serious football team.”
Another added: “The Browns were never trying to see what DTR gives them. They already knew. They’re tanking to move up higher in the draft. Pay zero attention to anything else they have to say. They have no credibility whatsoever and they think we’re all stupid and it pisses me off.”
It’s safe to say that Thompson-Robinson is not the answer at quarterback moving forward. The Browns have gone 1-3 in games he’s started over the last two seasons, passing for just one touchdown and 12 interceptions.
“We can all agree that DTR can just get cut after the season right?” another fan said.
Jameis Winston Gave Dorian Thompson-Robinson Tough Love During Loss
Winston was hurt after being benched but has still provided leadership despite not being the starter. Thompson-Robinson said that Winston provided some tough love during the loss.
“I encourage other guys to get in my ear and I actually told him, ‘I need you to tell me what I’m doing bad. Even if I’m not doing something bad, get on me,’” he said. “I don’t like being complimented. I don’t like being told what I did good. I need to know what I did bad. The good’s going to come.
“And so that’s exactly what he did. He got on my butt a little bit at halftime and we came out firing.”
Thompson-Robinson is facing a critical opportunity to prove he belongs in the NFL. With Deshaun Watson recovering from an Achilles rupture, the Browns’ quarterback situation is anything but settled. For Thompson-Robinson, it’s about more than just stepping in — he needs to demonstrate he can handle the pressure, make plays, and earn his spot on the roster for the long term.
“It’s not going to hurt no more than this,” Thompson-Robinson said. “So at this point it can only get better and we’re going to, like I say, get back to the drawing board (Monday) and try and correct all the correctable stuff.”
The Browns are a 6.5-point underdog against the Dolphins.
J.R. DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com. He graduated from Arizona State and has decades of experience in digital media with previous stops at SBNation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national honors for sports reporting and photography. More about J.R. DeGroote
