Heavy on Browns The Browns and Kevin Stefanski are taking heat for sticking with Deshaun Watson.
The Cleveland Browns are sticking with Deshaun Watson as their quarterback — a decision that isn’t sitting well with most.
Watson has struggled mightily through the team’s 1-5 start, consistently missing routine throws and showing signs of diminished confidence. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed after Sunday’s 20-16 loss to the Eagles that he will not bench Watson, despite a near national outcry for Cleveland to make a change.
Former Browns second-round pick and two-time Super Bowl champion Mitchell Schwartz called out the decision on social media.
“It’s incredibly (expletive) to do this to the rest of the team. Joel Bitonio is out there every week playing through who knows what and has to wreck his body when they have no chance of being good b/c of the QB,” Schwartz wrote on X. “Myles Garrett is playing in pain every week. Feel for everyone else there.”
Watson has passed for 1,020 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions this season. He has not thrown for 200 yards in a game this season, and his pattern of holding the ball too long has led to off-the-charts sack numbers.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Has No Answer for Team’s Struggles
The Browns’ offensive struggles have been at near-historic levels. Cleveland is the first team since the 2014 Jaguars to fail to score 20 points in each of their first six games. Jacksonville finished that season with a 3-13 record, a troubling precedent Cleveland hopes to avoid.
“(Me) being the quarterback of this offense with Kevin (Stefanski) and Ken (Dorsey), we have to do something a little bit,” Watson said after the loss to the Eagles. “I don’t know what we have to do, but we need to do something to lock in, so we don’t cost ourselves any more games. Because we’ve got to really turn this around.”
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: “(Me) being the quarterback of this offense with Kevin (Stefanski) and Ken (Dorsey), we have to do something a little bit – I don’t know what we have to do, but we need to do something to lock in, so we don’t cost ourselves any more games. Because we’ve…
Stefanski pointed to a lack of explosive plays on offense, which are hard to come by with Watson’s inability to connect downfield.
“I thought there were some good moments. Obviously, we need to protect. We need to keep him clean when we can,” Stefanski said. “Had some decent opportunities there but got to find a way to be more explosive.”
Browns Hurt by Self-Inflicted Mistakes
The Browns had a chance to tie the game late, getting inside of the Eagles’ 5-yard line in the fourth quarter. But Cleveland self-destructed with the game-tying touchdown within reach.
A pair of false starts backed Cleveland up 10 yards and Stefanski ultimately decided to go for a field goal with four minutes remaining. The Browns converted the kick but did not get the ball back.
“Wanted to close a game out there, and go backward on a couple of false starts. … We’ve got to find a way to close the football game out,” Stefanski said after the loss. ” The guys are fighting like crazy, but we have to find a way to get a win.
“It’s self-inflicted. It’s nothing the other team’s doing; it’s what we’re doing.”
The Browns will face the Cincinnati Bengals next week in an AFC North showdown.
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
