The Browns keep giving everyone the same script, no matter who’s under center.
In Week 9, Cleveland turned to Shedeur Sanders after Deshaun Watson missed the week of practice while in concussion protocol. Sanders delivered a solid debut as the starter, made several big plays, and helped push the Browns to the brink before they fell 23-22 in overtime to the New Orleans Saints.
That game only sharpened the bigger question hanging over Cleveland’s offense: is the problem really the quarterback, or is it the way the offense is being called?
For much of the season, the Browns have looked stuck in the mud for three quarters and then suddenly dangerous in the fourth. That pattern showed up with Watson.
It showed up again with Sanders. And now the conversation has shifted toward head coach Todd Monken, who also handles the play calling.
The Browns have made a habit of digging themselves out of holes late. They did it five times with Watson over the first eight weeks, stringing together five game-winning drives. Against the Saints, they nearly pulled off the same kind of comeback with Sanders in his first start of the year.
The early numbers told the story. Cleveland had only six points through three quarters Sunday, and Sanders had just 100 passing yards. Then, with under six minutes left and the Browns trailing 9-6, the offense suddenly came alive.
Cleveland’s first snap after New Orleans took the lead went for a 64-yard touchdown pass. After the defense forced a three-and-out, the Browns had a chance to bleed the clock with a four-minute offense, but that drive didn’t finish the job and handed the ball back to the Saints.
New Orleans responded with a touchdown to retake the lead, but the Browns answered again. They put together a quick seven-play, 41-yard drive that set up the field goal to force overtime.
The Saints scored again in overtime, and Cleveland matched them with a touchdown of its own. The Browns ultimately lost when the two-point conversion failed, but the offense produced three scoring drives in the game’s biggest moments after spending most of the afternoon quiet.
That’s why the focus has moved beyond quarterback play. With a defense that can keep Cleveland in games, it’s possible Monken has been leaning too conservative early, keeping the offense on a short leash and limiting what it can do before the pressure ramps up.
Then, once the Browns are forced to open things up, the offense starts looking like a much better unit.
Monken addressed that Monday, saying he was evaluating himself to see whether the way he calls games early compared with late, when Cleveland is trailing, is part of the reason for the slow starts.
Now it’s on his self-scout to find an answer. If the issue really is a lack of aggression early, that’s the kind of problem the Browns can actually fix.
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Browns Rebuilt Offensive Line Already Feels Like The Same Old Problem
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In the overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints, those issues showed up in the kind of moments that tend to linger. A failed fourth-and-goal run, a lost-yardage play after a long pass and a holding penalty that stalled a late drive all underscored how much the Browns still have to sort out up front. For a unit that was supposed to represent a fresh start, the bigger question now is whether the fixes are real or just a new version of an old problem. [Read more 🡒]