Deshaun Watson and the Browns walk into Week 2 trying to erase a miserable opener, and there’s no way around how ugly that first outing looked.
Cleveland managed only 10 points and 272 total yards against the Jaguars, a flat offensive showing that featured Watson throwing an interception and losing the ball several times. Even with that kind of start, the quarterback is staying in the huddle as the Browns get set to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Head coach Todd Monken said earlier in the week that he still believes Watson can turn it around.
"It's only been two weeks; he's gotten all the reps. And there were some really good things on film," Monken said.
"Some things that you can build on, and there were some others that operationally we got to get better at... I did think that when he had time, when he understood the concepts, he didn't play tentative, that he let it rip. ...
"I'd like to see how we could build on that. I liked his week of practice last week, and I think he's only going to continue to get better."
Watson’s only touchdown against Jacksonville came on Cleveland’s last drive, when he connected deep with rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston. It put six points on the board, but it came way too late to change anything.
Now Monken is taking a different approach against Tampa Bay. He said in his interview with Andrew Siciliano that he’ll shrink play calls against the Buccaneers, trimming down the offense rather than throwing the full menu at Watson.
That should give the quarterback and the rest of the unit a little more comfort as they try to rebuild some confidence after the Week 1 mess.
The ground game didn’t offer much help either. Second-year running back Quinshon Judkins led the way with 12 carries for 33 yards, good for just 2.8 yards per carry, and his longest run went for only five yards.
He finished with one first down. Dylan Sampson went out early in the first quarter with an injury, and Raheim Sanders, who appeared to step into that role, logged just one carry for one yard.
Watson also added some production with his legs, running six times for 38 yards and converting three first downs.
If Cleveland wants to get Watson moving in the right direction, the passing game has to show up early and make life easier for him. That matters even more with recent reports saying the front office may already be weighing a benching.
"We got to play better around him," Monken said. "We got to call it better, and he's got to play better."
The Browns and Buccaneers meet at 1:00 p.m. EST at James Raymond Stadium in Tampa, and this one could carry major weight for Watson’s future in orange and brown.
When the final whistle sounds, the next step should be clear.
In Other News...
Browns Just Added A New Twist To Steelers Night In Cleveland
Before the Browns even get to their Week 4 Thursday night meeting with the Steelers, theyve already put a little extra Cleveland flavor on the calendar. The team announced the game will be themed as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Game, a nod that fits neatly with a franchise that has spent the early part of the season trying to build momentum at home while getting ready for its Week 3 opener against Carolina.
It also adds another layer of intrigue for a prime-time matchup that already carries plenty of edge. The obvious question now is who, if anyone, will take part in the nights entertainment, especially with this years Hall of Fame class and their touring schedules offering a few possible fits. For now, though, the Browns have only set the theme, leaving the rest of the details to develop as Steelers week approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Monken's Aggressive Style Is Testing Browns Fans Already
Todd Monken wasted little time putting his stamp on the Browns, and one of the earliest examples came in a game against the Buccaneers when he went for it on fourth down from his own 34-yard line. It was the kind of decision that tells a locker room a coach trusts his team, but it also left Cleveland flirting with a mistake that could have handed away points and tilted a tight game in Tampa Bays favor.
The Browns were already chasing at halftime before flipping things around in the second half and pulling out a 23-19 win, which made the call easier to defend in hindsight. Monken stuck by the aggressive approach afterward, even while acknowledging the execution on that play fell short, and that tension is exactly what will keep this new look under a microscope as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Have A Tyson Campbell Concern They Can't Ignore
Tyson Campbell was on the field for the Browns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers even while working through an ankle issue, and he still managed to log five tackles before things took a sharper turn. After a collision, Campbell left with ankle and hip injuries, then did not come back once the weather delay hit, leaving Cleveland to finish the game without one of its more important defensive pieces.
Todd Monken said Campbells progress will be monitored through the week, and there is at least some optimism about his availability for the next game. Still, the Browns have reason to be careful here, because an injury that was already bothering him before kickoff became a bigger concern by the end of the afternoon, and his status now feels like one of the more important health questions on the roster. [Read more 🡒]