Tuesday leftovers

Is it too early to ask why Deshaun Watson looks nothing like an elite National Football League quarterback? The resounding answer is no.

We're only two games into the 2023 season and the Browns' offense, believed by many to be one of the team's strengths, looks ordinary. And that's being kind. 

Watson has looked nothing like the Pro Bowl quarterback who lit up opposing defenses with the Houston Texans several years ago. You can generously forgive his six-game stint last season due to rust if you want. Not this, though. Not after two games.

We were told out of training camp that the Cleveland offense would be different, wide-open and exciting this season. Head coach Kevin Stefanski and Watson worked together to make certain the new playbook better fit the $230 million man's skill set.

Still waiting. What we've seen thus far in no way resembles anything remotely close to different, wide open and exciting. It looks more like a slightly updated version of what we saw from Watson last season. Evidently Stefanski and his quarterback operate on different wavelengths on game days.

So what's the problem? First of all, the offensive line is not performing like one of the NFL's best units. Makes no difference whether Watson is under center or in shotgun. He sees opposing defensive linemen reaching him way too soon to feel comfortable. 

Most of the pressure arrives off the edges, where tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and rookie Dawand Jones operate. The strength of this unit is the interior trio of center Ethan Pocic and guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio. No problem there.

Wills is soft in pass protection. Always has been. He can be bullied, He has booked two extremely subpar games as Watson's blind-side protector thus far. This is his fourth season as assistant coach Bill Callahan's student and he has advanced all the way to mediocre. Still can't figure out why the Browns exercised his fifth-year option.

It was Wills who was victimized by a speed rush by Alex Highsmith that enabled the Steelers defensive end to strip sack Watson from behind, enabling the incomparable T..J. Watt to scoop up the ball and romp 17 yards to what turned out to be the winning score.midway through the fourth quarter.

Jones anchors the right side of the line. After just two games, it's not too early to suggest he right now is ahead of Wills with regard to development. He had a few good moments against Watt in pass pro Monday night, but struggled as the game progressed. He'll be fine by week 18.

Making matters worse, Watson's pocket presence is awful. If the ball is not out within three seconds, he more often than not panics and leaves the security of the pocket. His first instinct is to run. That's doing opposing defenses a favor.

In the wake of the devastating loss of running back Nick Chubb Monday night, this franchise desperately needs Watson more than ever to be the quarterback that lured the Browns in his direction after falling out of love with Baker Mayfield. 

Instead of predicting a bells-and-whistles offense that excites fans, it might be better if Stefanski finds ways for Watson to get the ball out within three seconds. He's got good receivers. Use them. Create safe, high-percentage passes that keep the chains moving. It's sort of like going back to basics.

Watson has also reached a stage in his career where ball security has become problematic. He gifted the Steelers three times (two fumbles and a pick), two of which wound up in the Cleveland end zone. It's hard to win games when self-destruction gets in the way.

"I've got to protect the ball," he said in a duh! moment after the loss. "We're not putting it on anyone else. Put it on me. I can take the full blame. I can take the criticism and I'm going to do that." How humbling.

There are only 17 games in a season in the NFL. That's 17 opportunities to win. Each game is precious in its own way. The difference between winning and losing is often razor-thin. It was borne out Monday night.

The Steelers didn't win that game as much as the Browns lost it. Losses like that is what gave birth to the notion that "Cleveland is Cleveland" and "Browns is the Browns."

With Chubb gone, it's time for Watson to step up in a major way and take charge. If he continues to play ordinary football, though, you can bet there will be a public outcry of major proportions that will land in the laps of the Haslams.

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Judging from his performance Monday night against the Steelers, it's fair to assume Stefanski is comfortable with moving Jerome Ford to RB1. The slightly smaller Ford is an entirely different type of runner than Chubb.

Chubb is much more of a grinder working between the tackles, looking for small holes, breaking numerous tackles along the way. And when he's in the open, he turns on his surprising speed to outrun defenders. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's sudden.

Ford is more of a slithery runner whose speed enables him to get to the edge quickly and turn upfield. He does not appear to have tackle-breaking ability, although he hasn't played enough to be certain if that is the case. The second-year pro has very good hands and should help Watson with checkdowns, swing passes, circle routes or dumpoffs. 

It will be interesting to see what General Manager Andrew Berry does in his search to replace Chubb on the roster. One of his first interviews reportedly was with Kareem Hunt, who was let go by the Browns last spring after four years in his hometown. He became a free agent and went unsigned.

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The Browns' defense for the second straight game was masterful. Under ordinary circumstances, their performance would have been the key element to a victory. But when you play in Pittsburgh, there are no such things as ordinary circumstances.

While they sacked Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett just twice, they made him feel just as uncomfortable as the Steelers did Watson and completely shut down the running game.  

Check out these two-game figures: The opposition has totaled just 15 first downs, 392 yards of total offense, converted only six of 29 third-down opportunities, run only 107 plays (the Browns have run 155) and owned the football for just 48:42 (to the Browns' 71:18).

There is nothing better for this side of the football than an offense that doesn't keep getting in the way of itself. It's extremely frustrating to see solid work by this defense go unrewarded. If Stefanski either doesn't or can't fix this, Monday night's result will happen again and that seat he's sitting on will get warmer by the week.

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Finally . . . After watching Watt and his men mistreat the Cleveland offense Monday night, is there any question he is the best defensive player in the NFL right now? His instincts are off the chart. He sometimes knows what plays are coming. He said postgame that he knew what play the Browns would run that led to the strip sack of Watson and subsequent touchdown. . . . Myles Garrett is a terrific pass rusher, but he's nowhere near Watt's league for NFL defensive player of the year conversation. . . . Question of the week: What gives with wide receiver Elijah Moore? Wasn't he supposed to play a major role in this offense? Quick answer: He's carried the ball three times for 24 yards and caught six passes (three each game) for 79 yards and no touchdowns. That's nine touches for 103 yards. The problem is he has been targeted 16 times. He was not happy with how little he was used with the New York Jets last season. How long will it be before he becomes a malcontent with the Browns?