We are sure many fans are saying “same ol’ Browns” after Saturday’s 34-10 beating at the hands of the Chicago Bears. But you know what? It doesn’t count. One thing we don’t know about these games is who is trying to win and who isn’t.
We would assume Todd Monken wants to win because it is his first year as a head coach, but it may not matter to him. And as we say every year, in the second half, which Chicago outscored Cleveland 24-0, featured a bunch of players, a majority probably, who will never play a minute in an NFL regular season game.
Everyone focuses on the starting QB battle, and of course, we will start by saying we don’t understand why there is a competition because it makes no sense to start Deshaun Watson. But Watson did go 11 of 15 for 126 yards, 43 of those on a short pass to RB Dylan Sampson who took it for 43 yards. Without that play, Watson was a pedestrian 10 of 14 for 83 yards.
He also lost a fumble. Look, he did okay. We aren’t ready to say he’s back to his 2020 form with Houston.
Shedeur Sanders did throw an interception, but the six passes he completed went for 79 yards, completing one for 35 yards and another for 24 yards. He also had two throws knocked down at the line of scrimmage.
We should also inform everyone we are not some sort of crazed Shedeur fan. We simply don’t see the upside in playing a QB who hasn’t played well in six years and whose contract ends after this season.
To argue about it now seems like a moot point because from his comments after the game, the coach seems ready to name Watson the starter, probably with a push from the front office, because, you know, the Browns have a dysfunctional organization.
As for the other individual performances, it looks like the Browns might have some talent at wide receiver. Rookies KC Concepcion returned a kickoff 31 yards and scored the only touchdown on a jet sweep. And Denzel Boston is simply a big target, something this franchise has needed for a long time.
Monken has already named the second-round pick as a starter.
First round pick Spencer Fano also played well, but we don’t know how many snaps the Bears’ starters played and we would also guess the defensive scheme they played was very vanilla.
Let us reiterate again, the game doesn’t count. It wasn’t too long ago that the Browns went 4-0 in exhibition play and then went 1-15 in the regular season.
Probably the best indication of anything prior to the opening of the regular season will be the joint practice with the Buffalo Bills this week. That will likely show more than any of the preseason contests.
A poll was put out before the game asking what people were thinking about Monken’s first game as head coach of the Browns. We will let you know just prior to September 13th, because that’s his first game. These games are glorified scrimmages that the NFL owners make fans pay to see.
Hopefully, Sanders plays well in his opportunity to get this ridiculous notion about starting Watson reconsidered.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 