09/18/2026
🏈 WAS IT ALL DESHAUN WATSON’S FAULT — OR COULD TODD MONKEN HAVE PLANNED BETTER?
The Cleveland Browns’ 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars was ugly, but putting all the blame on Deshaun Watson might be too easy.
Watson definitely deserves criticism. The opening-drive interception immediately killed a promising possession, Cleveland struggled to sustain drives, and the offense was already down 24-0 by halftime. Watson finished 16-of-22 for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but 46 of those yards and his only touchdown came with less than two minutes remaining.
But what about Todd Monken’s game plan and play-calling? After reviewing the film, Monken acknowledged that Cleveland needed to call the game better and improve its operation. He specifically pointed to getting plays in faster, getting out of the huddle, substitutions and avoiding delay-of-game problems. He also said the Browns needed to play better around Watson.
And this wasn’t just a quarterback problem. Cleveland committed 11 penalties for 75 yards and had two turnovers, while Jacksonville scored on six of its first seven possessions. Trevor Lawrence threw four touchdown passes as the Browns defense struggled to slow Jacksonville down.
So here’s the question for Browns fans:
🔥 Was Deshaun Watson the biggest reason Cleveland lost, or did Todd Monken fail to put Watson and the offense in the best
position to succeed?
👇 DROP YOUR OPINION IN THE COMMENTS!
