Browns’ ‘new’ offense for QB Deshaun Watson lacking imagination, identity and consistency
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns switched coordinators during the offseason to rebuild their offense so it better suited quarterback Deshaun Watson.
After three games, there are no detectable signs of progress.
In fact, Cleveland’s offense lacks imagination, an identity or any real consistency, unless you count Watson taking a weekly pounding due to a lack of pocket protection and his seeming inability to recognize coverages.
With more run-pass options (RPOs), shotgun formations and multiple-wide receiver packages, the offense was supposed to operate better, not worse. It was supposed to complement Watson’s skill set, not stifle it.
The Browns have scored 17, 18 and 15 points, respectively, in their three games. They’re averaging 248 total yards, with only New England getting fewer.
It’s still early, and coach Kevin Stefanski has stressed patience. But there are reasons to believe things may not improve any time soon.
Let’s start with Watson. While he’s made some strong throws, and he doesn’t appear to be limited by his surgically repaired shoulder, his accuracy and timing are off and he’s not completing any deep balls.
Watson’s longest completion in Sunday’s 21-15 loss to the New York Giants came on his first throw.
More troubling, Watson was sacked eight times, took 17 other hits and spent most of the afternoon scrambling for safety. Through three games, Watson has been sacked a league-high 16 times, and the blitzes will keep coming until the Browns show they can stop them.
Some of it’s his fault for holding the ball too long. Some of it’s on an offensive line that’s now ravaged by injuries. And some of the blame has to go to Stefanski, first-year coordinator Ken Dorsey and their play design.
“It’s everybody,” Stefanski said Monday. “It’s from myself, the coaches, the offensive line, tight ends, running backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks. It’s everybody. And everybody has a job to do in order to keep the quarterback clean.”
The running game is stuck in neutral.
Cleveland couldn’t get anything going on the ground in the first half, and the offensive line’s inability to get any push or open holes, coupled with playing from behind, prevented Stefanski from committing to the run.
Making matters worse, the Browns are without Pro Bowl tight end David Njoku, who missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle. He’s arguably the team’s top playmaker, Watson’s security blanket and a weapon Stefanski loves to deploy.
Njoku can’t be counted on to save Cleveland’s offense.