Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) has been plagued by injuries, the latest being … [+]
The Cleveland Browns have the best defense in the NFL, and it is a good thing they do, because their offense is not bringing much to the party. Only the Raiders have thrown more interceptions than the nine thrown by Cleveland quarterbacks.
The Browns’ collective quarterback rating of 61 is not only last in the league, but it is a distant last – 12 points below the next closest team. Only Tennessee has thrown fewer touchdown passes than the Browns’ four. Only the Jets have thrown for fewer passing yards than the Browns, and the 56.5 completion percentage by Browns quarterbacks is the worst in the league.
All the above can be attributed in large part to the ongoing saga of quarterback Deshaun Watson, who, following Cleveland’s game at Seattle on Sunday will have been on the field for only 12 snaps in the Browns’ last four games.
All 12 of those snaps came in the early moments of Cleveland’s 39-38 win over the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday. Watson left the game near the end of the first quarter after sustaining a hard hit on his right shoulder. Although an MRI done this week showed no structural damage to Watson’s shoulder, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Watson will be held out of Sunday’s game in Seattle.
“I just feel like with what happened in the (Colts) game, landing on his shoulder, there’s residual swelling that affects his throwing,” Stefanski said. “I think it’s the best thing for him to rest this week and focus on the rehab.”
Watson’s current shoulder condition comes on the heels of a strained rotator cuff he suffered in the Browns’ third game of the season, against Tennessee.
Stefanski said he felt Watson was progressing in the right direction enough for him to start the game against the Colts. “But I felt with that hit (in the Colts game), I didn’t like that. It was right on the shoulder,” Stefanski said. “Then, coming out of it with swelling in the shoulder, I didn’t think that would put him in the best spot to practice this week.”
Said Watson: “Usually rotator cuffs are four to six weeks, but at the three to four weeks mark I just didn’t have the strength to be able to go out and play a full complete game,” Watson said. “Kevin decided to hold me out so I don’t do anything worse to it.”
Watson, who will accompany the Browns to Seattle for Sunday’s game, said he hopes to play again, “as soon as possible. Last week I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t.”
Fortunately for the Browns, backup quarterback P.J. Walker was ready. In relief of Watson, Walker completed 15 of 32 passes for 178 yards. Near the end of the game, with the Browns trailing the Colts 38-33, Walker led Cleveland on an impressive 12-play, 80-yard game-winning touchdown drive that ended with Kareem Hunt’s 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Browns a 39-38 victory.
Walker will be challenged again on Sunday, against the Seahawks. Walker’s backup is Dorian Thompson-Robinson, whom the Browns selected in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, out of UCLA. Asked if he thought the Browns needed to add another quarterback, Stefanski said, “No. I’m comfortable with the guys we have.”
Being called out of the bullpen and leading his team to a game-winning touchdown, on the road, against the Colts certainly did not hurt Walker’s chances of keeping the backup job.
“Every single one of his games we’ve had to make a play and he’s made them,” said Stefanski of Walker.
Sunday in Seattle, Walker will get a chance to make some more.