Browns Quarterback Situation Appears Perpetually Problematic

The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation might best be described as perpetually problematic. At least, after a 34–10 road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, it looks like more of the same boo-worthy play Browns fans have endured for the better part of the past decade.

Controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson, named QB1 late in the preseason, was back in a starting role in the NFL after almost two years. And he looked rusty.

Watson dusted off his arm and hit his first two passes before later self-destructing on the opening drive, tossing an interception to the Jaguars to stunt the growth of his own confidence.

The 30-year-old veteran found the hands of the same defender on Cleveland’s next possession, but Foyesade Oluokun—who nabbed the first-drive pick off Watson—just plain dropped it. Watson also had to collect his own first-half fumble, or he would’ve turned the ball over again.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, meanwhile, was on the money. He completed 18 of 23 pass attempts for 245 yards and four TDs. He played like a star.

Watson, by contrast, finished 16 of 22 for 205 yards with one touchdown and an interception, for a quarterback rating of 34.5.

“Well, it wasn’t all him. It really wasn’t all him, that’s unfair. [We] certainly could’ve called it better,” said Browns first-year coach Todd Monken, who was on the defensive in his postgame media availability.

“Certainly could’ve played better around him. Certainly there’s plays I’m sure he wants to have back. There’s plays operationally that weren’t clean enough—us getting in and out of the huddle, getting our subs in,” said Monken, who didn’t make excuses for the loss.

The Browns were down 31–0 before Monken opted for a field goal with 8:31 to play in the third quarter that essentially avoided a shutout. Watson hooked up with Denzel Boston on a 46-yard pass play for a fourth-quarter touchdown that was mostly just a consolation score.

But Cleveland mostly sputtered and stumbled offensively, while the defense ran out of answers for the Jacksonville attack.

“But, we’ve got to put points on the board. That’s what you’ve got to do in this league,” said Watson, whose suspension and injuries had kept him out of action since Oct. 21, 2024. Watson accepted responsibility for his part in the lack of scoring, including the interception that he called part of the game.

“Bad plays [are] going to happen all the time,” he said. “Look all around the league, everyone throws interceptions. Everyone makes bad plays. You’ve got to give the defense credit—he made a good play on that.”

Monken shared that sentiment, backing his already-under-fire quarterback.

“He let that ball rip, that was an interception,” Monken said. “He let it rip. He just didn’t see him, or the defender made a great play on it.”

But Monken had to field questions about Watson being the starter next week, the coach ready to reassess things, but not at all ready to put someone else under center next week when the Browns play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I’d rather just talk about today because I haven’t even had time to look at the tape,” he said. “I’m sure as hell not firing me. I’m not firing our staff. I’m not getting rid of all of our players.

“So, he [Watson] happens to be one of 53. However many practice squad guys we got and our staff, he’s one of them. So we’ll evaluate everything. But to just say that emotionally here at the end—we just didn’t coach well enough. We didn’t play well enough.”

Monken was also quick to defend Watson’s play.

“Until I get the chance to really watch it [on video] and really drill down, it’s really unfair for me to comment really on any one given player, because it’s usually not as bad as you think, and really never as good as you think,” Monken said.

Monken also warned opponents to look out for his inexperienced Browns, whom he vowed will make strides over the course of the season.

“I’m not down. I’m disappointed,” he said with a parental tone. “You’re not going to get me down. I waited a long time to be a head coach in this league—it’s … awesome. And we’re not where we want to be, [but] they better get us now. Because we’ve got a good young group, we just didn’t play well today.”