Talk about a gut punch. The Cleveland Browns rolled into Jacksonville for Week 1 with a lot of optimism, especially around Deshaun Watson finally hitting his stride with an elevated offense. Instead? Sunday was a flat-out disaster, particularly for the defense. Trevor Lawrence only had five incompletions all day while tossing four touchdowns, and that alone tells you everything you need to know about the Browns’ secondary, which somehow earned an F grade right out of the gate.
Watson’s Rough Start & Offensive Flashes
Watson’s afternoon was one to forget for the most part. His pocket awareness was nonexistent, his mobility was spotty, and the decision-making? Downright awful at times. He did salvage some dignity with a deep touchdown to Denzel Boston in the final minutes, but that was just window dressing on a D+ performance. The running backs didn’t fare much better, earning a C+. Quinshon Judkins had some decent carries, but he never truly factored into the offense like they hoped. Dylan Sampson got lost for the day with a knee injury, making things tougher, though Raheim Sanders did pop a kick return that set up their first points. The wideouts and tight ends had some flashes, bringing home a B grade. Denzel Boston made big plays, including that 42-yard touchdown, and KC Concepcion had strong moments despite a critical fumble. It was a big learning experience, for sure, but they showed some skill. The offensive line, mostly thanks to the rookies playing well, pulled a B-, but the unit struggled with run and pass protection. They weren’t the main problem, but they definitely didn’t help as much as they could have.
Defense Collapses Early, Faces Uphill Battle
The defense? Oh boy. The defensive line got a D-. There was zero pressure on Trevor Lawrence, giving him all day to pick them apart. That simply cannot happen this season. Jared Verse especially needs a huge bounce-back next week if they want any chance. The linebackers were slightly better with a C-, doing an okay job containing the Jaguars’ run game. But they offered little in pass coverage, though it’s tough when the defensive line can’t generate any pressure and extends coverage time. Ultimately, though, the F grade for the secondary speaks for itself. Getting carved up for four touchdowns with only five incompletions? That’s a brutal start to the season for any defensive backfield.
This team now faces a pivotal second week, heading into a matchup with the Bucs. The offensive line desperately needs to bounce back, and the defensive line, especially Jared Verse, has to get some pressure on the quarterback. If not, the Browns could be staring down a second straight tough week, and that would be a brutal start to the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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