Browns coach Stefanski stands by Watson as beleaguered QB's struggles continue

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Deshaun Watson’s $230 million contract is guaranteed. Seemingly, so is his job.

Watson failed to lead Cleveland to an offensive touchdown, failed to lead Cleveland to its first 20-point game, failed to lead Cleveland to even a glint of hope it can turn around its season.

None of the beleaguered QB’s football foibles — much less his high-profile legal issues — are enough to persuade coach Kevin Stefanski he needs to make a change.

Watson is Cleveland’s quarterback. End of debate.

After the Browns' 20-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Stefanski left no wiggle room when asked if Watson remained QB1 heading into next week's game against Cincinnati.

“Yes,” Stefanski said.

Watson finished 16 of 23 for 168 yards and blew a chance at a tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter when he was pushed out of bounds at the 2-yard line on a scramble. He then threw incomplete on third down, forcing the Browns to settle for a field goal. They didn't get the ball back.

“I thought there were some good moments,” Stefanski said. “You know, we need to protect. We need to keep him clean when we can. That’s a good front. I thought the guys battled like crazy. Had some decent opportunities there, but got to find a way to be more explosive.”

The QB situation is almost improbable to believe, given Watson's unsightly statistics — a 76.6 quarterback rating and near the bottom of the league in every meaningful category.

It's easy to wonder: Is Stefanski just being stubborn? Or is he facing pressure from team owner Jimmy Haslam to play yet another costly Browns mistake because of the gaudy contract?

The Browns appear to have no chance of repeating the playoff run they made last year behind then-backup Joe Flacco. Is former first-round bust and current backup Jameis Winston really the answer?

“Where are we? We're 1-5,” Stefanski said. “We own it, not going to hide from it. I own it. I'm 1-5. The whole locker room. We're all 1-5. But I know what type of group we got. We got fighters and we’ll be back next week ready to fight.”

The Browns' problems as a franchise go beyond their record. Watson's contract — he has two years remaining with a $72.9 million salary cap hit each year — could be among the worst in NFL history, tethering them to a quarterback who has been a disgrace off the field and a disaster on it.

The QB was suspended for the first 11 games in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions.

Watson was fined $5 million and had to undergo mandatory counseling before he was reinstated by the league. This week, he resolved the latest civil lawsuit filed against him by a woman claiming sexual assault and battery.

He was 11 of 12 for 122 yards in the second half Sunday but has yet to throw for 200 yards in a game this season.

“It’s right there in our hands, and we’re not taking it,” Watson said. “Yeah, the chances are there.”

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni tried to tip his cap to Watson and said the QB could still be as good as he was in his prime.

“I've seen Deshaun Watson be Superman before,” Sirianni said.

Guess the Eagles were his kryptonite.

The Browns are the first team since Jacksonville in 2014 to score fewer than 20 points in each of their first six games. Those Jaguars finished 3-13.

Cleveland got its only touchdown on a blocked field goal. Watson was sacked three times and threw for just 49 yards in the first half.

“I don’t know what we have to do, but we need to do something,” Watson said. “Lock in so we don’t cost ourselves any more games because we’ve got to really turn this around.”

The one thing that could help?

Benching Watson.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Dan Gelston, The Associated Press