Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns suffered their fifth loss of the season in Week 6, losing 20-16 to the Philadelphia Eagles. The pressure continues to mount on the quarterback and the coaching staff.
Watson played well in the second half of the game, but his sluggish start put the team in a difficult spot. Following the loss to the Eagles, Browns fans went on social media and asked for Jameis Winston to become the team’s starting quarterback.
Browns Fans Remain Upset With Deshaun Watson
Here are some of the fan reactions after the Browns’ loss to the Eagles in Week 6:
Bench Watson.
— Johanna (@JohannaOrNot25) October 13, 2024
“The Browns need to put Jameis Winston IN!” said a fan.
“Put Jameis Winston,” added another fan.
It’s time to start Jameis Winston & we cannot continue to rely on any Corner not named Denzel Ward in 1on1 situations.
— Honor The Land (@honortheland) October 13, 2024
“The Eagles are lucky Jameis Winston didn’t play,” said one fan.
Deshaun Watson is absolutely horrible…. Hasn’t throw for 200 yards in a game all season… Jameis Winston would give them an instant jolt
— Erik (@ErikDonc11) October 13, 2024
In the loss to the Eagles, Watson threw for 168 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He completed 69.5% of his throws and had four carries for 17 yards.
Despite Watson’s poor play in the first half, the Browns came close to tying the game in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, due to multiple penalties on offense, they were forced to kick a field goal and then never got the ball back.
The Eagles themselves did not play well but managed to win, and Nick Sirianni saved his job for at least one more week.
Should the Browns Bench Watson?
The Browns’ next two games are against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens. These divisional clashes will be challenging, as the team’s struggles on offense are not only because of Watson.
Their offensive line is dealing with injuries and has struggled to protect the quarterback. Moreover, Nick Chubb is expected to make his return from injury next week. Cleveland should see how Watson plays with Chubb back on the field, as the star running back will open the field for everyone else.
As mentioned earlier, Watson looked good in the second half and will hope to build on that. In 2022, he signed a five-year $230 million fully guaranteed contract extension with the Browns, and so far, he’s not been able to play up to that.
In six games this year, Watson has thrown for 1,020 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. He has a passer rating of 76.6 and has completed 61.3% of his throws, averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt.
Winston signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Browns this offseason. If Watson struggles against the Bengals and Ravens, he might get his opportunity after Cleveland’s bye week (Week 10).