Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson marked his 31st birthday by counting his blessings after a rough start to the season.
Watson shared an emotional birthday reflection focused on family and perseverance. It came as his return to the field brought renewed scrutiny over his ability to lead Cleveland’s offense.
“Through every high, every low, every challenge, every blessing, I’m still here. Still standing. Still smiling. Still breathing. Still blessed. I’ve learned that peace doesn’t come from the noise around you; it comes from knowing who walks with you through it all,” Watson wrote in an Instagram post. “Today, I’m not counting the battles; I’m counting the blessings. Another year of life. Another year of growth. Another year surrounded by family and friends.”
Watson’s birthday followed a difficult afternoon in Jacksonville, where the Browns lost 34-10 in his first regular-season appearance in nearly two years. He finished 16-of-22 for 205 yards, one touchdown and an interception, but Cleveland’s offense struggled to function even at a basic level while the Jaguars built a 31-0 lead.
His opening-drive interception set up Jacksonville’s first touchdown. His lone touchdown pass, a 46-yard connection with rookie Denzel Boston, came with just 1:52 remaining and the outcome long decided.
Insider Defends Browns’ Decision to Stick With Deshaun Watson
Watson will get another chance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot believes that it is the right call after an offseason spent evaluating the quarterbacks and preparing Watson to start.
“I do think itʻs the right decision. You went through all of this to install him as the starting quarterback. Pulling the plug after Week 1 is premature. I think it would be a knee-jerk reaction,” Cabot said on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. “They should give him that game in Tampa to see if he can kind of rebound a bit.”
The problems extended beyond Watson. Cleveland struggled with its protection, communication and getting the offense organized before the snap. The majority of that falls on Watson. However, a quarterback change would leave Sanders dealing with many of the same issues.
“I think he was trying to knock off the rust in that game. He hadnʻt played in 22 months. He didnʻt know if he could take a hit. Heʻs also playing on an offense that has not come together. The offensive line hasnʻt come together,” Cabot said. “There were a lot of issues on that offense, and you have to chalk it up to one horrible game. If you put two horrible games together, then you have to think about if you can come home on Sept. 27.”
Todd Monken Puts Responsibility on Entire Browns Offense
Monken saw enough on film to give Watson another start. He also made clear that fixing the offense requires more from the quarterback, the players around him and the coaching staff.
“We got to play better around him,” Monken said in his Monday assessment. “We got to call it better, and he’s got to play better.
“It’s only been two weeks he’s gotten all the reps, and there were some really good things on film, some things that you can build on, and there were some others that operationally, we’ve got to get better at.”
Even the late touchdown to Boston gave Monken something to work with. Despite the lopsided score, he credited the communication between Watson and his receiver against Jacksonville’s starting personnel.
“Was it perfect? Of course not. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have scored as few points as we did. But I’d like to see how we can build on that,” Monken said. “I liked his week of practice last week and I think he’s only going to continue to get better.”
Watson and the Browns are an 8.5-point underdog against Baker Mayfield and the Bucs.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Gets Personal in Emotional Post