Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken isn’t blaming starting quarterback Deshaun Watson for Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Browns were crushed by the Jaguars, 34-10, on Sunday. It was a rough 2026 season debut for Watson. The former Houston Texans quarterback, traded to the Browns in a disastrous blockbuster move in 2022, finished the game 16-of-22 for 205 yards. He threw an early interception and was sacked five times, while rushing for 38 yards.
Cleveland did most of its damage on offense when the game was already out of reach. The Browns gained 140 of their 272 yards in the fourth quarter when the game was clearly decided.
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Browns fans appear to be ready to move on from Watson already.
“Browns fans in Jacksonville chanting for Shedeur Sanders as Deshaun Watson takes the field down 34-3 with under five minutes remaining,” Nick Pedone shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Browns coach not blaming Watson, though
The Cleveland Browns head coach is not placing the blame on Watson, though.
“I’d rather just talk about today, because I haven’t had time to even look at the tape. . . . It wasn’t all him,” Monken said postgame. “It really wasn’t all him. That’s unfair. Certainly could have called it better, certainly could have played better around him.”
The Browns have yet to name their starting quarterback for Week 2, but much of the fan base already appears to be calling for a change.
However, the odds suggest that Watson will be starting under center for Week 2, and for much of the early part of the season. Things can change, but it’s unlikely for the Browns to make a significant adjustment just weeks into the new year.
The Browns appear to be on track to be one of the NFL’s worst squads, though.
