Seriously, what in the actual heck is going on in Cleveland? After three weeks of NFL preseason action, the most wild story isn’t some rookie phenom or a sleeper team, it’s the Browns’ absolutely unfathomable decision to name Deshaun Watson their Week 1 starter over Shedeur Sanders. No joke, this was the most compelling storyline of the entire preseason and they blew it, big time.
Watson’s Disaster Class Paves Way for Sanders
You watched the preseason, right? Watson’s performance in his two showings gave zero indication he deserved that starting job. It’s such a shock that the only logical explanation has gotta be the front office trying to save face after handing him the worst contract in sports. This dude is set up to crash and burn, and when he was last healthy, he played like the literal worst quarterback in the entire NFL. So, yeah, the verdict is in: Sanders will be the Browns’ starter by Week 4. It’s just a matter of time before they can’t ignore the obvious any longer.
Meanwhile, Our Hawks Are Still Elite, But Ravens D Is Scary Good
While some teams are busy making questionable QB decisions, other units are out there making statements. Take the Ravens, for example. Jesse Minter, their first-year defensive coordinator, had his unit looking absolutely elite in the preseason. They put on three masterclasses in shutting down opposing offenses. This is huge, especially after they finished the 2025 season in the middle or bottom half of the league in most key defensive stats.
This preseason, the Ravens surrendered only 13 combined points in their wins over the Eagles, Vikings, and Commanders. Opponents went a measly 6-for-35 on third down, and the Eagles were three-and-out seven times in Week 1! They racked up nine sacks, forced three turnovers, and didn’t even allow a touchdown over the final eight quarters. With Kyle Hamilton, Trey Hendrickson, and Malaki Starks leading the charge, plus Minter’s schematic genius, this defense has it all. Is it the league’s most dominant unit? Maybe taking it a little far, especially since our Seattle Seahawks remain elite, and the Texans and Rams also have stacked squads. But dude, they’re definitely entering the conversation.
The regular season is here, and while the Browns are kicking off with a mess at QB, the Ravens are flying high on defense. It’ll be wild to see how quickly Shedeur Sanders takes over in Cleveland and if the Ravens’ defensive dominance holds up against the toughest teams. The stakes are already high for the 2026 campaign!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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