A movie-worthy finish unfolded at MetLife Stadium, where the rain and poor weather conditions played a key role. Deshaun Watson did not have his best afternoon, getting sacked multiple times, and this is something Todd Monken does not want to experience again as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
“I hope like hell the rest the time I’m here we don’t have a game we have 8 sacks. It’s everything. It’s coaching. It’s playing. It’s getting the ball out of our hands. It’s protection. We all gotta take a big frickin’ bite of this because it’s not good enough,” Monken said once the game concluded.
Running the ball was one of the options, but the weather did not cooperate. Now, it is back to the drawing board to figure out how to better protect Watson heading into Week 6.
A day to forget for Watson
It was a brutal, forgettable afternoon for Deshaun Watson and the Browns’ offense in their 17-12 road loss to the New York Jets. Playing through heavy rain, Watson spent almost the entire game under relentless siege from the Jets’ pass rush, absorbing a punishing 8 sacks for a loss of 53 yards and putting the offense in constantly impossible long-yardage situations.
Between the slick ball and constant pressure, he fumbled 4 times (losing 1) and couldn’t establish any downfield rhythm, managing just a single 29-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston late in the fourth quarter.
A significant loss for Monken
The loss to the Jets was not the only bad news for the Browns, who still hold a winning record at 3-2. According to insider Ian Rapoport, Carson Schwesinger suffered a Grade 1 ankle sprain after sacking Geno Smith and will be evaluated this week to determine whether he will be available for Week 6.
Getting back to winning days
Following their rough Week 5 loss in New York, the Browns return home to Cleveland Browns Stadium to kick off a high-stakes AFC North rivalry against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 (October 18). After that, Cleveland goes on a two-game road trip, starting in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Week 7 (October 25).
To cap off the three-game stretch, they travel to Pittsburgh for another intense division battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Week 8 (November 1).
Key takeaways
- Todd Monken expressed frustration after Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered eight sacks.
- The Cleveland Browns fell to a 3-2 record following a 17-12 loss to the Jets.
- The Cleveland Browns host the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 6 on October 18.
