Deshaun Watson took his time responding to questions as he struggled to find answers that were as hard to grasp as making a third-down completion.
After a disappointing 34-13 loss to Washington’s battered quarterback, who hasn’t thrown for 200 yards in a game this season and has been sacked a league-high 26 times behind a shaky offensive line, faced a lot of questions about the issues plaguing the Browns.
“I don’t know,” Watson replied when asked why the team keeps making crucial penalties that stop drives.
He had similar responses to other topics.
The Browns are in complete disarray. Nothing seems to be working, and all options are being considered.
Five games into a season that was seen as critical for Watson, the Browns have the NFL’s lowest-rated offense, a defense that struggles to tackle, and fans who are ready to protest after every missed catch.
Despite players promising improvement last week and claiming the playoffs were still a possibility, the Browns (1-4) were thoroughly beaten in every aspect by the Commanders and their impressive rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
Watson didn’t seem comfortable in the pocket again. While the breakdowns in protection are a big part of the problem, he also ran into some sacks by leaving the pocket too early. He missed open receivers and didn’t elevate his teammates’ performance—something expected from a franchise quarterback.
He doesn’t appear to fulfill that role.
Watson completed 15 of 28 passes for 125 yards, had one touchdown, lost a fumble, and finished with a passer rating of 77.2 against the Commanders, who had the league’s worst defense going into the game.
