It was so obvious that the Browns were not in the same league as the Jags.
We were getting beat on damn near every play. I think they could have beaten us by 50. They called off the dogs. They could have run the score up if they wanted.
DW does not belong in the NFL anymore.
I was surprised at how bad the defense looked because outside of Myles there are a lot of returning players.
One way to look at this mess is winning seven games is not much better than winning 3.
If you are going to suck you might as well suck really bad.
This team is going to try. Monken is not going to lose on purpose. He doesn't need to. It will happen organically.
Probably should note that the Jags are pretty much returning nearly all starters from a team that went 13-4, won its last 8 regular season games (and 9 of 10) including blowouts over the chargers, broncos and colts before losing by 3 to the bills in the playoffs.
We were starting 2 rookie OL, a shell of a man at QB, and a new system for everyone. We sucked but it’s not the end of the world. Yes, we didn’t look prepared but I actually put that more on DW being rattled. He just wasn’t pulling the O together, he was losing his cool so the OL was losing it, etc.
We all know that DW is little more than a tackle dummy at this point until they feel they can set up SS for some modicum of success. I doubt we’ll be markedly better with SS but we won’t be much worse. We knew these first 2 games were the lemon suckers of the season. They’ll start to get more organized in these next few. I can almost guarantee we’ll look better against the bucs. I won’t say we’ll win, but we should respond positively. And if he/ we don’t, I can’t see them trotting DW out for the home opener.
"Team Chemistry No Match for Team Biology" (Onion Sports Headline)
My take on the game. Yes we looked bad. I didn't think we would win but I didn't think we would look this bad. A new OL and coaches. Pretty much a new WR room. New System on O. New DC. New D system. No Myles but he wouldn't have been playing anyway with his injury. We have TOO MANY moving parts at this point so to speak. It's going to take some time. I believe TM was correct post-game when he said we will get better every week. Oh, and we have DW who I believe is no longer a starting NFL QB. I watched Jaxson Dart last night and it made me sick knowing we could have had him. Without DW and his contract and those 3#1's we gave up we might have had our FQB now.
Fortunately, I had to cook at the VFW yesterday so I didn't get to see the crapfest,but I got constant updates.I have to say they were hilarious.There are 2 guys that I positively can't stand and they have been saying that Monkin is the perfect HC for this team.I agree,he's a blowhard of a coach that fits in well with Haslam and Berry. You guys will make a hundred excuses,new this,new that,blah blah blah,but at the end of the day it's football.Yes,they were not prepared,but put the blame where it belongs,on the head of the blowhard.
Probably should note that the Jags are pretty much returning nearly all starters from a team that went 13-4, won its last 8 regular season games (and 9 of 10) including blowouts over the chargers, broncos and colts before losing by 3 to the bills in the playoffs.
Browns fans need to understand that the Jags were one of the best teams in the NFL last season and might be a Super Bowl contender this season.
The Browns are one of the worst teams in the NFL and have been the bottom feeders of the AFC North in 2024 & 2025. For 2026, the Browns have a new coaching staff with a first time HC who is attempting to teach his young team a new offensive and defensive systems.
I expect the Browns to improve week to week but I don't expect many 'wins'.
In an effort to manage expectations I'm going to classify the 2026 Browns as being equal to an "expansion team" that is in the first year of a rebuild.
Judging the team week to week hoping to see improvement...
I decided to watch Guardians also.....note, PFF grade out- our TWO ROOKIES on the line were among our best players....WOW. Conceptition had a fumble, knows what real games are like now. Watson, deer in the headlights, I'm for coaching up Green and making him the starter......Sanders holds ball too LOOOONNNGGGG just like Watson. Pray for us, we will need it.....GO Browns!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
In the 2025 draft the Giants and Browns had close to the same draft assets and team needs.
Once Cam Ward was selected. The Giants passed on the quarterbacks and selected Abdul Carter. They came back in the first round through a trade and at pick 25 drafted Dart.
We traded back and took Graham. Then took Carson and Q in the second.
Both teams passed on SS when they needed a quarterback.
We drafted some good players. The Giants just beat the Cowboys with Dart.
At this point in time we really cannot say how this will turn out. But the Giants and Browns made different choices.
When you need a quarterback all other choices take a back seat.
Until Andrew Berry is removed as GM ..this franchise will be the darlings Of the seller im the North. And there is a GM in waiting in Tom Talserro. Who is a consultant now. And Ryan Grigson is a candidate . Andrew Berry continues to get a pass around here . How's Tyler Shough looking these days ? Better than any Browns current QB
an example of how things can be skewed easily by stats.... His QB Rating for the game was 97.7 ... that sounds like he had a pretty decent game. However, remove that lone meaningless TD and his rating drops to a more accurate description of his performance at 69.5
Browns is the Browns
... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.
At halftime during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Deshaun Watson had a passer rating of 45.4. By the break, he had completed 8 of 13 passes for 75 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception, while taking two sacks as the Browns fell behind 24–0.
It did look impressive as I stated but I realize it was long after the game was decided and probably against backups. It would have been VERY impressive if he did it in the 1st quarter!
First let me say it's far too early to have some firm opinion on Monken as a whole. It's only been one game. But my comment to this point is simply this.
What most people saw yesterday is not what they expected to see. I'm not saying they were looking for a win. I'm not even saying they were looking for the game to be close.
What I am saying is most people from what I have seen at the very least expected a well disciplined team. Free from all of the sloppy mistakes we have seen in the past. For some reason they seemed to feel that stern looks, tough talk and bravado would change all of that. How someone giving off that impression could suddenly change the culture on a dime. It's what they had been screaming for.
That's not how any of this works. Coaches of all styles have both succeeded and failed. Sometime tough guys fail and players coaches succeed. Sometimes it's the other way around. You're dealing with pro athletes, not children. There is no one size fits all formula for success when it comes to the demeanor of your HC.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
For everyone crying about Schwartz not being here blah blah the defense blah blah Let's give the Jags credit. Its a good offense Schwartz feasted on weak offenses and middle of the road QBs. Jim Schwartz isnt Buddy Ryan . Last time I checked Hes unemployed right now .
The Browns front office simply failed to upgrade the QB position this year .there was options better than Watson .but dont worry Mary Kay Kool Aid And Nathan the Super Homer will paint a sunshine and lollipops picture This week .
Schwartz's D held good teams in check and got bamboozled by a couple of bad offenses last year.
Schwartz is NOT unemployed. He is getting paid by the Browns right now. We didn't let him out of his contract, and a team would have had to give up a draft pick to get him.
I was more disappointed in the defense than I was the offense. My expectations for the O were set extremely low, and even though they failed to meet that low bar, the defense underperforming was more frustrating to watch. Additionally, the comments from Tyson Campbell about running more zone coverage got me really angry. It boggles my mind how supposed pro-level coaches consistently play our talent in ways that minimize strengths and maximize weaknesses.
PFF scores would indicate the rookie WRs and new Olinemen played well. That didn't contradict what I saw, but I also was only able to watch the majority of the first half (son had a baseball game) and I'm in ways an Oline expert. Rookies, 2nd year guys, and Oline looking like they're going to stick is why I'm watching this year. Fano largely gets a pass from me this season. Young man has a tough assignment for a rookie.
I hope Watson gets at least a couple more games. I'd rather he be the one back there while the rest of the offense works to get their proverbial feet under them. It also increases the likelihood of him suffering a season-ending injury and us recouping more salary cap, which is up there for turning around our QB room. No, I don't feel bad for thinking/saying that.
I saw that Austin Barber was our top OL by a good margin. Gabi was 3rd with a so so grade. I didn’t watch OL, anyone see where the pressure was coming from? Also, the book on Zion was penalties… and he lived up to it.
"Team Chemistry No Match for Team Biology" (Onion Sports Headline)
I decided to watch Guardians also.....note, PFF grade out- our TWO ROOKIES on the line were among our best players....WOW. Conceptition had a fumble, knows what real games are like now. Watson, deer in the headlights, I'm for coaching up Green and making him the starter......Sanders holds ball too LOOOONNNGGGG just like Watson. Pray for us, we will need it.....GO Browns!!!
Totally agree with "...I'm for coaching up Green and making him the starter..."
Monken is sixty years old. He comes from a coaching family. He has been a coach for most of his life.
He knows both college and the NFL. He knows what good and bad quarterback play looks like.
I wonder if he reviewed that tape of DW as a Brown? I know he wanted to give everyone a clean slate.
But if he did not review the tape of DW as a Brown. He did a mis-service to himself.
The guy that played against the Jags and the guy that played two years ago for the Browns is the same guy.
Exactly the same guy.
SS is probably not going to help this team either. But DW is no longer good enough to make an NFL roster.
It was clear yesterday. And it will be clear when he plays again.
He does not have the mobility he once depended upon. He cannot play from the pocket. When you are in shotgun. You don't take a seven step drop. OL cannot block for that.
From the people who got to watch practice; they saw the same things he did yesterday. Throw picks over the middle. He acted like it was a great play by the defensive player. Sorry DW it was a horrible read by you. Own it. You did not see him. He was there to make the play.
Monken will watch the tape. He will play DW against the Bucs. If he plays the same. Monken will have no choice really.
Hope this addresses your question. This is just part of the article provided in total at the link................
Browns coach Todd Monken hasn't watched tape on Deshaun Watson's disastrous stretch with Cleveland
Monken says he wants to think 'every player we have is elite'
Monken evaluated this quarterback battle with fresh eyes. In fact, the first-year head coach said that he didn't and still hasn't watched any film on Watson from his disastrous stint with Cleveland.
"I really, to be honest, haven't looked at it," Monken said. "To be honest, only from afar. People say, 'Well, you had to look at it.' Well, not really. I looked at it from afar when I was down the road in crossover film or something, but I try to take everything at face value. What I see, right? It doesn't matter what the player is; I think we owe that to our players, guys that are on the roster.
"I want to go into it thinking every player we have is elite. And all they have to do is prove me right. That's all they have to do. They are on an NFL roster, I expect them to play well, and I just want them to prove me right. So I haven't really looked at that. Different staff, different system. We'll let it play out. We'll see where it goes..."
I don't know how much tape Monken watched or how relevant it is to the conversation, tbh.
Watson was rusty in 2022 after his layoff and looked like c.f.s.
Watson showed a few glimpses in 2023 before a shoulder sidelined him. Upon return, the shoulder was reinjured and doctors said it could literally fall apart. Story was he wanted to play but that was a medical impossibility. Also, that year, he developed a pretty strong rapport with Amari Cooper.
His return in 2024 (pre-Achilles disaster) was with a team that had a patchwork line, a regressing defense and Amari Cooper dropping an incredible 30% of his targets. Also, let's not forget no Nick Chubb.
I would say, looking at all of that, tape or no tape, Watson was going to get a fair shot at the starting role. I'd also say, compared to Shedufus, he deserved it. I threw up a little in my mouth typing that, but it's true.
The Browns played zone coverage on 74% of their defensive snaps. Ward is a man corner. The Browns traded for Campbell because he was lousy in zone coverage (which the Jags were running) and why he was a better scheme fit for the Browns, whom were running man coverage last year. Rookie DC for the Browns decides to revert to zone coverage instead of playing to the players strengths. Brilliant!
Does anyone know our PFF grades for yesterdays game?
Not a complete list, but here you go...
(PFF grades every player on every play and uses a scale of 0-100, with higher grades indicating better play. PFF has explained its grades this way: 100-90 elite; 89-85 Pro Bowler; 84-70 starter; 69-60 backup; 59-0 replaceable.
The Browns played zone coverage on 74% of their defensive snaps. Ward is a man corner. The Browns traded for Campbell because he was lousy in zone coverage (which the Jags were running) and why he was a better scheme fit for the Browns, whom were running man coverage last year. Rookie DC for the Browns decides to revert to zone coverage instead of playing to the players strengths. Brilliant!
I know there's more to it than "zone = bad, man = good... more man-coverage means more good" but it feels like the concern about a significant departure from the defensive schemes and approach THAT PROVED OVER A SEASON WORKED was warranted. I am continually baffled on how we keep bringing these coordinators in that insist on trying to pound square pegs into round holes.
We literally had to change nothing from Schwartz's system, kept his heir apparent on staff, and still reverted back to the thing that we proved in 2024 absolutely, definitely wasn't working.
By not doing so all he had to go on was practice and pre season. And you know what they say about practice..............
At this point the best way I can deal with what I have seen thus far is to add a little levity to the situation. It may be very little levity but still.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Once again, it feels like watching a train wreck unfold in slow motion. Wrong choices. Wrong decisions. Terrible communication.
No matter how we analyze the reasons behind this mess, every consequential decision ultimately leads back to the people in charge—and I’m not talking about Todd Monken, who has so far done an excellent job serving as the gatekeeper for Dumb and Dumber.
How are we supposed to evaluate our young players if they’re never even given a proper opportunity to show what they can do?
And what do we think constant losing does to the confidence and mentality of these young players?
Anyone who believes this is competent management should start asking why the results remain so consistently awful—and why the rest of the NFL can’t stop laughing as they watch this annual train wreck unfold.
