The Cleveland Browns continue their refusal to make a change at quarterback despite a 1-5 start to the season.
Cleveland lost yet again on Sunday, October 13, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Browns have yet to score 20 points in a game this year, while Deshaun Watson has yet to throw for 200 yards in any contest.
However, when a reporter asked Kevin Stefanski if Watson will remain the starter moving forward, the response from Cleveland’s head coach was as definitive as it was blunt.
“Yes,” he responded.
Stefanski eventually elaborated a bit further when a media member asked specifically about why he wasn’t willing to at least give backup QB Jameis Winston — a former No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft — a crack at running the offense.
“I think Deshaun Watson gives us the best chance to win, continues to give us the best chance to win, and we need to play really good football at his position, and at every position to be successful,” Stefanski responded.
Deshaun Watson Problem for Browns Offense, but not Only Problem
It is fair to consider whether Winston, third-string quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson or any other player could produce meaningful success behind what has been the least effective pass-protecting offensive line in the entire league through six games.
Opposing defenses have sacked Watson a mind-boggling 31 times, which has cost the team 178 total yards of offense. Both of those numbers lead the league, per Pro Football Reference.
Watson was also 11-for-11 passing one point in the second half of Sunday’s game in Philadelphia. However, at another point in the first half the team failed to convert on its 26th consecutive third-down attempt.
The running game hasn’t helped much to alleviate the pressure on Watson, and it suffered another blow in Week 6. Starting running back Jerome Ford suffered a hamstring injury against the Eagles, which forced him to the sidelines early and could keep him there for multiple contests.
Four-time Pro Bowler Nick Chubb will likely make his return to action against the Cincinnati Bengals next week, though he has missed the last 13 months rehabilitating from a catastrophic knee injury he suffered in Week 2 of last season. So what the Browns can expect from Chubb immediately is a more than reasonable question.
Former Browns QBs Baker Mayfield, Joe Flacco Find Success Outside of Cleveland
While it is impossible to put all of the blame for Cleveland’s offensive woes on Watson, it’s also hard to see how the team didn’t make two massive mistakes with his acquisition and subsequent refusal to remove him from the lineup despite his shortcomings and the Browns’ clear offensive deficiencies, which are obvious to the naked eye of even the casual football fan.
Baker Mayfield threw for over 4,000 yards last season, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an NFC South Division title and a playoff win on Super Wildcard Weekend. He turned around this season and has the Bucs at 4-2 after throwing for nearly 1,500 yards and a league-leading 15 TDs through six weeks compared to just 5 INTs.
Joe Flacco, who stepped into the starting role for Cleveland down the stretch last season and has filled in the last two games for the Indianapolis Colts in relief of the injured Anthony Richardson, is 6-2 over his last eight starts with over 2,300 yards passing and 20 TDs compared to 9 INTs. He was also the single biggest reason the Browns made the playoffs last season, aside from their stellar defense.
Watson is now 9-9 as a starter for the Browns across three years — a mark that would be considerably worse if Cleveland didn’t field the league’s best defense last season, which was healthy and in prime form for all of his six starts in 2023 (5-1).
Watson has completed 60.4% of his passes since joining the Browns in 2022 for 3,237 yards and 19 TDs against 12 INTs.
