Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski stated that the team is “not changing quarterbacks” after Deshaun Watson and the offense struggled in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
Watson seemed uncomfortable at times and was sacked seven times and fumbled once, completing 15 of 28 passes for 125 yards. The Browns gained only 149 yards through three quarters and have now lost three games in a row, dropping to a 1-4 record this season.
“This is not a one-person issue on offense,” Stefanski said. “We need to play better, I need to coach better and that’s really what it is.”
Watson has not reached 200 passing yards in five straight games, the longest stretch of his NFL career. Playing behind a hurt offensive line, along with penalties and mistakes, he couldn’t find a rhythm, and the Browns went 0 for 12 on third downs while he was at quarterback.
“This offense, it’s going to go as far as I go,” Watson said. His only touchdown throw, to tight end Jordan Akins, came with seven minutes left when the game was already decided.
“At the end of the day, if we’re not doing enough offensively, as a quarterback, you take all the pressure, you take all the heat, you take all the blame.”
Receiver Amari Cooper, who led the team with four catches for 60 yards, said he doesn’t think Watson is the problem “at all.”
“I think we could all play better for him,” Cooper said. “There’s a lot of moving parts on a football offense, specifically. There are many things we could do collectively to improve.”
Watson, in the third year of a fully guaranteed five-year contract worth $230 million, said he is trying to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible. His longest completion in the game was just 19 yards as the Commanders applied more pressure than expected, making it a tough afternoon for him.
