David Njoku's touchdown was the first of the Deshaun Watson era, but it wasn't nearly enough in a 23-10 loss to the Bengals. (Associated Press)
After another loss, Browns will focus on developing Deshaun Watson for the future
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
CINCINNATI, OH
For those who believed this year was about next year, well, next year has arrived. Enjoy the final five games with nothing on the line.
The Browns can now focus entirely on tuning up Deshaun Watson’s game for next year because they’ve blown another year of everyone’s life by mismanaging another season.
Opting not to take a field goal early and then calling for a punt block deep in Cincinnati territory in a 0-0 tie were the latest examples of “How to set up defeat.”
Those questionable coaching calls weren’t executed and helped build a deficit the Browns could not overcome. Not with their $230 million quarterback still shaking off the rust from two years of self-imposed purgatory.
Watson was much improved in his second game. But he and the offense produced only one touchdown in the Browns’ 23-10 loss to the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Burrow finally beat the Browns, and he did it with one hand tied behind his back.
Burrow was without receivers Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, so he ate up mostly single-coverage on Ja’Marr Chase for 10 receptions on 15 targets. All the other backup receivers available to him had six targets, and one went for a 45-yard touchdown off a flea-flicker.
The first loss to the Bengals in Kevin Stefanski’s three years as Browns coach dropped them to 5-8 and improved the Bengals to 9-4. The talent level between the two Ohio rivals is not as wide as their records. But squandering scoring opportunities and committing hair-pulling penalties – along with the obligatory big-play defensive breakdowns – have been hallmarks of this Browns’ team.
“You’ve got to score more than 10 points,” Stefanski said. “Too many penalties (nine), and ones that were very, very costly.”
The tone was set in the first quarter when the Browns made a three-and-out defensive stop and followed Stefanski’s opening script into scoring territory. From the Bengals’ 25, Kareem Hunt was stoned for no gain on third-and-1. You knew something egregious was about to happen next.
In trotted quarterback sneak specialist Jacoby Brissett. The Browns inserted James Hudson as a tackle-eligible and an extra tight end to sell the sneak look. Then Brissett play-faked and threw into the end zone for Donovan Peoples-Jones, who was open. Alas, Brissett missed the throw long.
“We’ve got to come away with points there,” Stefanski said.
So why not kick the field goal from 43 yards and take three points?
“I felt that we had an opportunity there on third-and-1, and then on fourth-and-1,” the coach replied. “Felt like touchdowns were going to be at a premium in this game, and just didn’t get it done.
“That’s on me. I’ve just got to make sure I give those guys plays that we can go get one yard. That’s really what we’ve got to do.”
In Houston, Brissett came in on a fourth-and-1 situation and converted the first down on a handoff to tight end Harrison Bryant. Watson has no problem coming off the field for Brissett in such situations. But he didn’t sound enamored with the play call.
“That’s something as a team and as a whole we have to continue to just see what’s the best situation,” Watson said. “It was something Kevin wanted to do and we didn’t capitalize.”
It was still 0-0 and the Browns defense was having a great first quarter. It forced three punts on Burrow’s first three series as he had trouble adjusting to the loss of No. 2 receiver Higgins (hamstring) and No. 3 receiver Boyd (finger) on the first series.
It should have been four for four for the defense. But after the fourth Browns stop, coaches called for a punt block with new Cincinnati punter Drue Christman lined up near his goal line. Tony Fields, the hero of the win in Houston, ran into him hard enough to draw a roughing-the-kicker penalty and give Burrow new life at the Bengals’ 32.
Then a hands-to-the-face penalty on end Isaiah Thomas and a pass interference call on Denzel Ward against Chase spring-boarded the Bengals to the Browns’ 30. Four plays later, Burrow beat a blitz and rifled the ball to Chase in the end zone between Ward and John Johnson for an insurmountable 7-0 lead.
Had they just allowed Christman to punt the ball, the Browns probably would have gotten the ball near mid-field. “We felt like we could pressure the young punter,” Stefanski said.
The Browns cut the deficit to 7-3 when Stefanski changed his "touchdown-or-bust" thinking and settled for a field goal when the offense was stopped at the Bengals’ 8. And that’s as close as they got.
Burrow tacked on another touchdown before halftime, and then another on a 45-yard flea-flicker to Trenton Irwin. Later, a short field goal was set up on a 40-yard run by Joe Mixon (96 yards on 14 attempts).
Watson produced his first touchdown on the 19th offensive possession over his first two games. Tight end David Njoku did the heavy lifting with receptions in succession of 6, 14, and 13 yards and the touchdown.
Watson had a chance to make it a one-score game three times in the fourth quarter. One possession blew up on an interception by safety Jessie Bates on a late throw for Peoples-Jones that hung, another ended on downs when Watson’s fourth-down fade for Peoples-Jones was broken up in the end zone by rookie cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, and the last one expired on an incompletion short of Amari Cooper.
Watson’s numbers (26 of 42 for 276 yards) were decent considering the Bengals stifled Nick Chubb (34 yards, 14 attempts) and Kareem Hunt (6 on four attempts), and Cooper wasn’t himself (two receptions on seven targets) because of a core muscle injury that cost him practice time during the week.
“There’s a long process ahead of us and it’s a marathon, so we’re going to have to keep pushing forward,” Watson said.
Yes, Watson’s improvement was encouraging. It’s all that’s left to look forward to now.
This is the time of year Browns fans turn attention to the draft. But without a first-round pick again because of the Watson trade, it will be a longer offseason than normal.
