Todd Monken spent the offseason telling anyone who’d listen he could win in Cleveland. Everybody pretty much laughed. But guess what? Nobody’s chuckling now. Just a month into the season, Monken’s Browns are sitting pretty at 3-1, owning first place in the AFC North after a wild, dramatic 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. That wasn’t just any win, either. It took a monster 56-yard field goal from Andre Szmyt with only 10 seconds left to seal it. Seriously, this is a franchise that won eight total games over the last two seasons. Now they’ve got a young, talented team, a confident coach, and last night, it sure looked like they’ve finally found their quarterback.
Watson Is Cooking, And The Future Can Wait
Remember how Monken kept saying his main goal this summer was to “find a quarterback”? He even figured it might be a season-long hunt. Well, scratch that. It’s looking pretty clear he’s got his guy, at least for now. Deshaun Watson was mostly outstanding against the Steelers. He went 24 of 33 for 268 yards, tossing one touchdown and one interception. Yeah, he was a bit better in the first half, but when it mattered most at the end of the game, he came through big time, going 4 for 5 for 46 yards. Watson’s actually been pretty solid all season, but Thursday night? That’s when he really flashed that old potential we all know he’s got. He was accurate, showed off that cannon arm, and maybe most importantly, he single-handedly kept the Steelers’ pass rush on its heels, using his mobility to escape trouble and extend plays like a magician. He’s 31 now and hasn’t played much in the last five years, so who knows how long this surge lasts? But he’s showing up when it counts, the Browns are winning, and any thoughts Monken had about giving second-year pro Shedeur Sanders a shot are definitely on the back burner. Monken said he was ready to ride Watson as far as he could, and right now, Watson isn’t slowing down. Sure, Sanders might be the future, and nobody’s forgetting that $230 million fully guaranteed contract albatross that expires next year. But that’s a problem for another day. Right now, Watson is giving Cleveland everything it needs to win.
Rodgers And The Steelers Ran Out of Magic
When Aaron Rodgers started leading the Steelers back from a 21-10 deficit in the fourth quarter, he looked like his younger self, I’ll give him that. He fired a strike down the field to DK Metcalf. He rolled out of a collapsing pocket and threw a 21-yard dart to tight end Darnell Washington for a touchdown. He even threw his 42-year-old body over the middle for a 2-point conversion on a quarterback sneak. It was fantastic to watch, just like old times. The only problem? Those moments are getting rarer. Rodgers completed 22 of 40 passes, and while he had flashes, it wasn’t enough to stop the Browns’ momentum or that game-winning kick.
So, here we are. The Browns are sitting atop the AFC North, 3-1. That’s a start nobody saw coming for a team that struggled so much recently. They’ve got a young, hungry roster, a coach who isn’t afraid to say what he thinks, and a quarterback who’s proving he can still get it done. They just showed they can win the tough, dramatic games. The real test now is whether they can keep this momentum rolling and prove to the entire league that this wasn’t just some early-season fluke. The AFC North race is heating up fast, and Cleveland just made sure everyone noticed.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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