Todd Monken doesn’t need a masterpiece from the Browns on Sunday. He needs a start that doesn’t set the building on fire.
Deshaun Watson is back for his first official home game since October 2024, and the assignment is plain enough: get moving early, because a slow start at home could turn the noise in the stadium against him in a hurry. That possibility feels less like a concern than a warning sign after what Cleveland has put on tape through two games.
The Browns have been a mess before halftime. In 12 first-half drives, they’ve averaged 3.14 net yards per play, gone 0-for-11 on third down, and produced five three-and-outs and two turnovers.
They’ve scored only six first-half points, both on Andre Szmyt field goals against Tampa Bay, and one of those drives started after a Baker Mayfield interception. Cleveland sits last in the NFL in first-half scoring and 29th in first-half time of possession share, with just eight first downs before halftime.
That’s the bad news. The strange part is that the offense has looked much better once the game settles in.
Cleveland has been much sharper after halftime, ranking tied for eighth in the league in second-half scoring at 13.5 points per game. The Browns were near-perfect in the second half of last week’s win at Tampa Bay and got a decent fourth quarter in the opener at Jacksonville. In other words, the script has been backward: slow out of the gate, then far more functional once the game starts to breathe.
Monken has tried to open games by receiving after winning the coin toss in both outings this season, but that approach has not helped. Watson opened against Jacksonville with an interception. Against the Bucs, the Browns turned a second-and-1 into a three-and-out after Tampa Bay snuffed out a right-to-left sweep to wide receiver KC Concepcion for a loss of 6.
The Browns’ early-game issues have also been tied to their effort to get the run game going. Advanced metrics suggest the blocking has been adequate, but the timing between Watson, Quinshon Judkins, and the offensive line still needs work. Early-down runs have mostly left Cleveland staring at third-and-long.
Monken has shown he can find answers later in games, including the go-ahead touchdown pass from Watson to backup tight end Blake Whiteheart against the Bucs. But he still hasn’t found the formula to make the opening script work, and as a new head coach, that adjustment may take time.
This week, though, there may not be much room for patience. Another batch of early three-and-outs or a turnover would only crank up the unrest in the stands. Watson’s best shot at quieting the boos is the same thing Cleveland has lacked so far: a fast start.
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Browns Fans Will Love How Cleveland Is Closing Nick Chubbs Career
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Browns Rookie Is Forcing His Way Into A Bigger Role Fast
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Marvin Harrison Jr. has become the name worth watching because the upside is obvious for a Browns team that could use another dynamic target to deepen its receiving corps. The Cardinals receiver still has the kind of physical gifts and work ethic that made him such a coveted prospect, but his role in Arizona has been less central than expected, which is exactly why the idea of a trade has traction in Cleveland circles. The question now is whether the Browns would see enough value in making a bold move for a player whose talent is not in doubt, even if the situation around him is. [Read more 🡒]