Respect has not been a central theme of joint practices this week between the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles.
The most recent slight — or, at least, the most recent perceived slight — came from Eagles reporter Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP Sports Radio in Philadelphia and drew a public reaction from Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Among other things, Shorr-Parks tweeted on Wednesday, August 16, that the “Eagles defense definitely got the better of Watson” and specifically that the “pass rush definitely got the better of Watson, as he was really only effective in [7-on-7], not [11-on-11] … [forcing] Watson into some bad decisions.”
Watson reposted the reporter’s comments, captioning them with three simple letters and an emoji, “Lol 🧢.”
Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s Struggles Against Eagles in Joint Practices Mean Something, Not Everything
GettyQuarterback Deshaun Watson (right) and running back John Kelly Jr. (left) of the Cleveland Browns celebrate a first-down conversion during an NFL preseason game against the Washington Commanders in August 2023.
Two things are important to remember from the outset before examining the rest of the context for Watson’s recent performances against Philadelphia.
The first is that this data is generated out of the preseason — not only that, it is preseason practice data — and none of it counts for much more than getting a few reps in against unfamiliar faces. The second is that the Eagles have a fantastic defense that helped carry the franchise to the Super Bowl last season, and will probably also help them seriously contend for back-to-back championship berths in 2023.
All that said, practice is the only context in which Watson and the Cleveland offense can be judged against a championship-caliber defense considering starters for both teams are expected mostly to ride the pine during Thursday night’s game in Philadelphia. It will be Browns’ third preseason contest and the second time the Eagles have taken the field this August.
All told, Watson completed 17-of-33 passes against the Philadelphia defense across two practice sessions. The quarterback also threw for three touchdowns along with three interceptions, per Shorr-Parks.
In line with the pattern of chippy behavior and disrespect that has permeated this week’s experiment was a fight that occurred between the two teams following Watson’s lone interception during Tuesday’s practice. Eagles rookie safety Sydney Brown was overly physical while blocking Browns running back Demetric Felton Jr. during the interception return, which sparked the scrum.
Browns QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson Will Test His Hand Against Eagles Defense Thursday Night
GettyQuarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson of the Cleveland Browns drops back to pass during an NFL preseason game against the Washington Commanders in August 2023.
It won’t likely be interceptions off the hands of Watson the Eagles are returning Saturday, if they return any, as standout rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson will get the starting nod for the Browns.
Thompson-Robinson has been lights out this preseason, completing 17-of-21 pass attempts for 184 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions across two games against the New York Jets and Washington Commanders. The QB posted ratings of 124.1 and 142.5, respectively, in those contests, per ESPN. He has also rushed the ball a total of nine times for 47 yards this preseason.
The rapid ascension of Thompson-Robinson has brought into question the futures of quarterbacks Kellen Mond and Joshua Dobbs with the Browns franchise, more of which are sure to follow should Thompson-Robinson prove able to provide the team with answers against the Eagles defense.
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Browns QB Deshaun Watson Claps Back at Eagles Reporter