The Browns opened the season with a road beatdown in Jacksonville, and the result left plenty of hard questions hanging over Cleveland after Todd Monken’s first game as head coach.
The biggest one starts at quarterback. Deshaun Watson’s return after nearly two years away got off to a shaky start, and it never really recovered. Cleveland moved the ball well on the opening drive, only to see it end with an interception when Watson stared down his receiver, who was double covered, and Foyesade Oluokun picked it off with ease.
After that, the offense stalled. Watson missed throws, leaned on checkdowns and kept trying to use his legs at the wrong moments. He did salvage a little bit of pride with a beautiful touchdown pass to Denzel Boston at the end of the game, but by then it was far too late.
If Cleveland wants to be competitive this season, something has to change quickly, and the issue begins with the quarterback. That could mean the play-calling.
It could mean the player under center. Either way, the Browns need a different answer.
Jacksonville, meanwhile, made the Browns look helpless. Trevor Lawrence was efficient and ruthless, throwing for 245 yards and four touchdowns on a 78% completion rate.
He didn’t even need to play in the fourth quarter. Bhayshul Tuten bullied his way through the Browns defense, and Parker Washington had a standout day against the secondary.
On the other side of the ball, Mike Rutenberg’s debut as defensive coordinator was rough from start to finish. The unit as a whole looked like it had taken a step back from last season. Tyson Campbell struggled, Carson Schwesinger lost his burst and Jared Verse made the Myles Garrett trade look even worse, even with Garrett sidelined for now.
Mason Graham was the one real bright spot. He finished with a sack and a nice TFL, and he held his ground for most of the afternoon. Still, Rutenberg needs a quick rebound if he wants to avoid turning this opener into a long-term indictment of the decision to move on from Schwartz.
The sack total on the stat sheet said five, but that number didn’t really capture what happened up front. Watson had time more often than not, but he didn’t trust it. His pocket movement actually made life easier for pass rushers by creating better lanes, and that helped sink the offense.
There were some encouraging moments from the line. Spencer Fano and Austin Barber both looked good in their rookie debuts.
Zion Johnson left briefly with a small injury before returning and playing solid football. Tytus Howard was probably the weakest of the group, picking up a few penalties and allowing pressures, but even he had a solid enough day overall.
There’s at least a chance the film from this game becomes useful for the offense. Watson and the other quarterbacks should be able to see how much space they really had in the pocket and grow more comfortable using it. If that happens, it could also open things up in the run game.
For all the ugliness elsewhere, the Browns’ five-man front may have been their strongest unit of the day.
In Other News...
Browns Offense Had One Bright Spot Fans Should Notice After Week 1
Week 1 against Jacksonville did not give the Browns much to celebrate on offense, but the snap counts at least showed where the structure of the unit is headed. Cleveland leaned heavily on its offensive line, which was on the field for nearly every play, while Deshaun Watson had a few encouraging moments amid an otherwise sluggish day. The running back rotation and receiver usage were mixed, and the tight ends were barely involved, leaving a clear picture of an offense still searching for a rhythm.
For a team that came away with so little production, the encouraging part is that the alignment of the personnel suggests the Browns already know which pieces they trust most. The challenge now is turning that stability up front into something more functional everywhere else, because the passing game and the skill-position distribution left plenty of questions after the opener. The snap chart offered one useful clue, but it also hinted at how much work still sits ahead for Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Give Shedeur Sanders A Familiar Option If QB Plans Change
Jimmy Horn Jr. is suddenly available, and that alone makes him a name worth tracking for a Browns team still sorting out its young skill positions. The former Carolina Panthers receiver was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, just after Cleveland took Shedeur Sanders, and the two already have built-in familiarity from their college days together at Colorado.
If the Browns decide to add more depth at wide receiver, Horn fits the profile of a low-cost, familiar option who could help a developing room. The connection becomes even more interesting if Sanders role changes and he ends up handling the offense, since Cleveland would then be looking not just for talent but for players who already know how to work alongside him. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Rookies Gave Fans One Reason To Watch After Week 1 Loss
The Browns opened on the road against the Jaguars with a first look at how several rookies might fit into the bigger picture, and there were at least a few encouraging signs amid the loss. Left tackle Spencer Fano had his hands full with the matchup, but he held up reasonably well for a young blocker, while wideouts KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston gave the offense some life with catches and a touchdown.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren also got into the mix on the back end, and right guard Austin Barber was another rookie who stood out in a way Cleveland can build on. Barber posted the highest offensive grade among Browns players in the game, which is the kind of early showing that can matter for a team trying to sort out which first-year players are ready to contribute right away. [Read more 🡒]