Another season to forget

Remember the Deshaun Watson we all saw in the second half last Sunday in the come-from-behind victory over the Washington Commanders? The one who threw three touchdown passes and excited a fan base to cast their eyes toward the future?

That was an aberration. 

The real Deshaun Watson, the $230 million one, showed up Sunday in Pittsburgh, where Browns teams have gone once a season over the last half century to almost-always fail miserably, and was rudely welcomed to the long-time rival series.

Here's how his good news/bad news/very bad news afternoon unfolded: He threw touchdown passes to David Njoku and Nick Chubb; he also connected with Damontae Kazee and Levi Wallace of the Steelers  secondary that were turned into 10 Pittsburgh points; he was sacked a season-high seven times -- deftly avoiding at least four others -- and was hit another dozen times by a relentless Pittsburgh pass rush in the 28-14 loss.

Watson knew exactly how Baker Mayfield felt in his final game as a Brown in the penultimate game against the Steelers last season. Mayfield was massaged for nine sacks and 11 hits. Only difference there was Mayfield publicly -- and correctly -- criticizing the playcalling of his head coach. 

It was an embarrassing afternoon not only for Watson as he wound up his abbreviated six-game season with a 3-3 record after his 11-game suspension, but for an offensive line that was called on way too often to protect their leader, and a receiving corps that had trouble becoming available. All but one of the sacks were in the second half.

Instead of using his quarterback as a weapon on the ground, head coach Kevin Stefanski chose to drop him back 42 times against a pass rush that was teeing off on just about every play with the sole purpose of getting him on the ground. He managed to get loose six times for 44 yards.

It sure seems as though Stefanski, who should seriously consider giving up playcalling duties next season, is aiming to flip the Cleveland offense to where the pass sets up the run. But when you have a running back like Chubb, that's nonsensical thinking.

Chubb picked up 77 yards on the ground on 12 carries. Why only a dozen? Perhaps it's because the Steelers scored 20 straight points after the Browns broke a scoreless tie with 6:27 left in the second quarter, Watson and Njoku hooking up from 10 yards to cap a 10-play, 71-yard march.

The Steelers immediately replied with another one of those how'd-he-get-so-open plays that returned to the Cleveland secondary after a one-month absence. Rookie wide receiver George Pickens didn't even have to sneak into that secondary he was that wide open from the snap. Fellow rookie Kenny Pickett took advantage of the blown coverage and played pitch and catch with him from 31 yards.

Ninety-six seconds later, the Steelers grabbed the lead for good after Wallace, in double coverage, picked off Watson, setting up a Chris Boswell 49-yard field goal. 

The third quarter was a disaster on both sides of the ball for the Browns. The offense ran nine plays for six net yards from scrimmage. Oh . . . and another Watson pick, this one when Kazee jumped a route by David Bell and returned it to the Cleveland 25.

Six plays later, Najee Harris barged four yards for a 20-7 lead. Harris was denied a touchdown on the Steelers' opening drive in the first quarter when replays revealed he had scored. The Steelers did not challenge the call and Harris fumbled two plays later when Browns linebacker Deion Jones poked the ball loose as he tried to vault the line of scrimmage and Tony Fields II recovered at the five.

The Browns, with a little help from referee Clete Blakeman, cut the margin to six on their first possession of the final quarter. Suddenly -- and briefly -- looking like the team that played in the second half of last Sunday's game, Chubb ripped off 26 yards on two runs, Watson found Amari Cooper in zone coverage for 36 more yards and all of a sudden, the Browns were at the Pittsburgh 14-yard line.

On the second play, Watson was dropped for a 10-yard loss on second down by Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. Blakeman apparently didn't like the way Heyward threw Watson down and flagged him for roughing. I've seen worse not penalized. 

Two plays later, a scrambling Watson found Chubb waiting for a two-yard toss just inside the end zone. And that, for all practical purposes, was the Cleveland offense for the afternoon. By then, the offense was done for the afternoon, too.

Pickett removed 5:34 from the game clock with a nice 75-yard, 14-play drive, during which he converted three third downs (10, 8, 8). It featured the brothers of Steelers stalwarts T. J. Watt and Heyward. Rookie tight end/fullback Connor Heyward caught passes of 27 and nine yards and fullback Derek Watt finished it from a yard out.

The Browns wrap up yet another disappointing, underachieving season at 7-10 as tenants in the basement of the AFC North for the 16th time in 24 seasons since 1999. It also marks the franchise's 21st season with a sub-.500 record in that period. It drops Stefanski's three-season record to 26-24, the loss column growing from five in his rookie season to twice that this season.

This offseason promises to be very active. There's an awful lot that needs fixing. Living up to their credo of smart, tough and accountable also needs to be seriously addressed or changed. It's reached the point where the Haslams' patience with the current front office has to be wearing thin.