The Cleveland Browns got absolutely stopped in Week 1. Deshaun Watson was the starting signal-caller and he didn’t look the part. That prompted head coach Todd Monken to clarify if he’ll be benched for Shedeur Sanders as a Week 2 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers comes close.
Monken reaffirmed Deshaun Watson as the starter. However, he even went further and said “there were some really good things on film” about Watson. For Browns fans, that’s a head-scratcher.
Yes, Watson had a 46-yard TD pass to rookie Denzel Boston, but he also did nothing much. Hence, for Monken to say that film showed some good things will certainly confuse a lot of people.
Deshaun Watson’s stats in Week 1
The Browns lost 10-34 to the Jaguars, Watson had 16 completions in 22 attempts for 205 passing yards, 38 rushing yards, one TD, one interception and a 97.7 passer rating. A pedestrian performance in a one-sided loss.
#Browns QB Deshaun Watson on the Browns' offense:
— Ashly Holder (@AshNoelleTV) September 13, 2026
"Of course everyone is going to look at the quarterback in this situation. Overall, I haven't even looked at the box score or stats, but yeah, we have to put points on the board, and that's what you have to do in this league." pic.twitter.com/kGYhhZyrvE
Watson had somewhat good mobility but was sacked five times, including one where takes eight steps back after already being in shotgun formation, which caused a hefty loss of yards.
How does the matchup vs Bucs project?
The good thing is the Buccaneers just allowed 33 points in Week 1 and it’s up to Watson and company to try and replicate that. However, it was against a much better offense than what the Browns have.
Whether Shedeur Sanders could provide more of an upside or not against the Buccaneers remains to be seen. However, it seems that unless Watson gets injured, Sanders won’t be able to play in Week 2.
