Todd Monken’s comments about Deshaun Watson are starting to do more damage than the Browns’ Week 1 loss itself.
Cleveland was blown out by the Jacksonville Jaguars, 34-10, and Watson was poor in his first start at quarterback since the 2024 season. Neither part of that was a shock. What has turned heads is the way Monken has responded afterward, repeatedly talking around how rough the outing really was.
As a head coach, Monken can’t rip into his own quarterback in public. That much is obvious. But some of his remarks have gone so far in the other direction that they’re beginning to undercut his own credibility.
After the game on Sunday, Monken was asked whether Watson had played too tentatively. He pushed back on that idea, saying, “He let that ball rip that was an interception.
He let it rip. He just didn't see him or the defender made a great play on it.“
The defense almost sounded like Monken was taking the interception as a positive because Watson showed the right mentality.
He kept that same line on Monday, when he said he “anticipates” Watson starting in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"There were some really good things on film, some things that you can build on, and there were some others that, operationally, we got to get better at. ... And even the touchdown at the end, sure, that was garbage time, but that was on their one corner.
That was one of their starters out there, and that was a communication between him and the receiver. So, there were a lot of things to build on.
Was it perfect? Of course not."
That kind of framing is not going to sit well with Browns fans after what they just watched. The few positives Monken pointed to, including the late touchdown in garbage time, don’t change the reality of how the game played out.
The most revealing comment came when Monken was asked whether the locker room was fully behind Watson as the starter.
"I don’t know, you’d have to ask every one of those guys. You said 100%, and really, to be honest, they don’t have a choice.
This isn’t a debate. I don’t ask the players every series what play we’re going to call, what play we’re going to call on defense.
Like, their job is to play, and our job to put the best player on the field that we think gives us a chance to win. And I love our guys.
But the moment we get into that, in terms of who this guy should be playing, what we’re doing, what we ought to be calling, we’ve lost. We’ve lost sight of the target, which is to own it and fix it and try like hell to get better."
Monken is clearly trying to shield Watson from the full force of the criticism, and that’s understandable to a point. But the Browns’ coach is also talking as if the evidence everyone saw on Sunday didn’t happen. That’s the risky part.
At some point, the protection starts to look like denial. And if Watson doesn’t raise his level, Monken may end up paying a price for standing so firmly beside him.
In Other News...
Texans Defense Suddenly Has A Clowney Concern Before Bengals Game
Jadeveon Clowneys status has become a small but meaningful concern for the Texans as they turn their attention to the Bengals. The veteran edge rusher was limited in practice because of a knee injury, a development worth watching for a defense that could use all the disruption it can get after its Week 1 issues.
Clowney was one of the brighter spots in the opener, even as Houstons defense struggled overall, so any setback with his availability changes the conversation around this matchup. The Texans will keep monitoring him leading up to the game, and whether he can suit up against Cincinnati is now one of the more important injury storylines on their side. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Suddenly Have A C.J. Stroud Protection Problem Before Bengals Game
The Texans are heading into Week 2 with a little more uncertainty around the edges than they would like, and it starts with the availability of two important pieces on offense. Nico Collins has been dealing with a Grade 1 hamstring injury, while right guard Ed Ingram has missed multiple practices because of a groin issue, putting some pressure on Houstons protection plans before Sundays matchup with the Bengals.
Any time a receiver like Collins is limited, it changes how defenses can be handled, but the bigger concern in Houston is how these injuries ripple through the offensive line and the overall rhythm of the unit. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has also sat out several practices with a knee injury, adding another name to the list of Texans trying to get right in time for a game that already looks like it could demand a cleaner, sturdier performance up front. [Read more 🡒]
DeForest Buckners Return Could Change Everything For The Colts Defense
DeForest Buckners return to full participation in Colts training camp has given Indianapolis a much-needed boost, especially after he acknowledged he had seriously considered retirement while dealing with multiple injuries. For a defense that leans so heavily on his presence, getting Buckner back on the field changes the tone around the unit and gives head coach Shane Steichen a proven leader to build around as camp moves forward.
For Houston, it is also a reminder of how quickly the AFC South picture can shift when a rivals defensive centerpiece is healthy. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans has already been in the position of defending C.J. Stroud after a rough outing, pointing more to defensive breakdowns than to the quarterbacks turnovers, and matchups with Indianapolis figure to carry plenty of weight if Buckner is back to anchoring that front the way the Colts expect. [Read more 🡒]