After a 34-10 loss on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars to open the 2026 National Football League regular season, Cleveland Browns fans were already up in arms and calling for a change under center.
First-year head coach Todd Monken said he has looked at the game film, and he saw good things that starting quarterback Deshaun Watson did in the 24-point loss. As such, Monken has confirmed that Watson will make the start in Week 2 on the road against former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Deshaun Watson Showed Tremendous Touch on TD Pass
Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, and he ended up with a quarterback rating of 97.7. On the surface, those numbers are not that bad, and he rushed six times for 38 yards to lead the team.
Yes, Watson threw an interception in the first three minutes, tilting the field immediately in favor of the Jaguars, digging an early hole for his team. However, Watson wasn’t out there missing tackles on defense, and he wasn’t out there failing to get any pressure on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Browns had a terrible time rushing the passer, and that cannot be pinned on Watson, no matter how hard fans try.
On a touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter, Watson showed off the arm strength and accuracy which made him a star at Clemson, and then with the Houston Texans, before off-the-field issues and a bevy of injuries derailed his career. The touchdown to rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston traveled 62.6 air yards, and was a 46-yard scoring hook-up.
Fans Call for Watson to be Benched, Monken to be Fired
I might be going off on a bit of a tangent here, and I am SUPER tired of the Browns sucking, quite frankly. I remember the days in the mid-1980’s with Bernie Kosar under center, routinely winning the AFC Central Division and going to the AFC Championship Game on a regular basis. That seems like another lifetime. So, I get it. I get the frustration of the fans. But, fans can also be irrational.
Browns fans screamed at Watson as he left EverBank Field, they chanted Shedeur Sanders’ name throughout the Week 1 loss, and they took to social media, complaining, calling for Sanders to start, and some even talking about Monken being fired after Game 1.
C’mon.
Fans are perfectly right to be angry. Watson has done nothing to earn his paycheck since signing his huge contract. But, should they be mad at the guy? Or, should they be mad at the ineptitude of management signing him to such a foolish deal. They’d take the guaranteed money, too, even if they didn’t earn it.
Give Monken some time. There seems to be more to this Watson thing. He likely doesn’t love the quarterback, but it feels like a directive from above that Watson start, as ownership tries to get some return on their idiotic investment.
