Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson struggled mightily in a marquee game that the Browns lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 33-17, late Sunday afternoon.
It was just two years ago that the Browns signed Watson to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract to finally give themselves a bona fide premier quarterback.
But Sunday’s performance does not offer hope for a Browns team and fanbase with high expectations after a surprise playoff berth in 2023. Let’s look at the data that backs up Watson’s and the Browns’ struggles in Week 1.
Deshaun Watson, Browns Struggle Mightily in Blowout Loss to the Cowboys
Watson finished Sunday’s game barely completing 50% of his passes. His final numbers were 24 of 45 for 169 yards and just one touchdown to two interceptions.
Even worse, further data shows his performance was more dismal than what the box score indicates. Watson finished with the fifth-lowest passer rating (53.3) of all quarterbacks to play in Week 1 through Sunday’s late-window games. To put that into perspective, the only four quarterbacks with lower passer ratings than Watson in Week 1 through Sunday late afternoon are Will Levis, Bo Nix, Daniel Jones, and Bryce Young.
For a quarterback who led the NFL in passing yards in 2020 right after Houston gave him a $156 million contract extension prior to the start of the season, Watson’s NFL career, including his Cleveland tenure, have cratered since then.
Watson also finished with the lowest EPA per dropback through Sunday late afternoon. His -0.51 was dead last prior to Sunday Night Football kicking off. Levis, Nix, Jones, and Joe Burrow were also in the bottom five on Sunday. Ironically, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had the seventh-lowest EPA per dropback through Sunday late afternoon.
But that’s where it gets worse for Watson’s current situation, beyond just the numbers and advanced data. Prescott agreed to a contact extension with the Cowboys just hours before kickoff in Cleveland on Sunday. His contract, worth up to $240 million, includes $231 million guaranteed.
That’s one million dollars higher than Watson’s fully guaranteed contract with the Browns he signed in March 2022. Prescott proved, in spades, he is worth his contract. Watson, now with his diminished abilities in addition to health concerns, has not lived up to his contract.
Even more cruel for Browns fans is former quarterback Baker Mayfield’s performance. Mayfield, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed a contract extension worth up to $100 million this offseason. On Sunday, in a 37-20 Buccaneers win, Mayfield’s 0.64 EPA per cropback was the highest of any NFL quarterback through the Sunday late-window games. In addition, Mayfield’s passer rating of 146.4 was also tops before Sunday Night Football kicked off.
Mayfield was not only more prolific than Watson on Sunday, but also considerably more effective and a difference maker for the Buccaneers. Making the first start of his seventh season, Mayfield finished with 289 yards and four touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes and not throwing an interception.
While Nick Chubb’s absence may have had an impact on the Browns’ performance, there were still enough weapons on the offense for Watson to throw to. No Browns receiver had more than 44 yards, and running back Jerome Ford led all Browns receivers with six receptions for just 25 yards on Sunday.
Expectations are high in Cleveland this season. This Week 1 game against the Cowboys was hyped up a lot this offseason, for reasons that included Tom Brady making his broadcasting debut with FOX. But more performances like this from Watson will prompt a lot of uncomfortable conversations around the Browns $230 million quarterback.
His health is already a concern. If his poor play continues, that’s only going to complicate matters in Cleveland.