Browns beat writer Chris Easterling analyzes Browns loss to Bills
Cleveland Browns beat writer Chris Easterling on the team's 31-7 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 21.
Video Transcript
Chris Easterly for the Akron Beacon Journal here at Huntington Bank Field.
The Cleveland Browns, lose thirty-one seven to the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason game.
But, the story really was the post-game, which was a, reaction to what happened in the third quarter when Deshaun Watson made his first appearance in this stadium since, October twentieth, twenty twenty-four, which is when he tore his Achilles tendon against the Cincinnati Bengals, which led to a year and a half absence.
But in that moment in twenty twenty-four, there were audible cheers from some fans, not all, but some fans in the stadium who cheered while he was on the ground.
Well, fast-forward to today where he took the field and there were plenty of boos to be heard, and those boos were only amplified, as, you know, he had a, he had a tough, basically quarter, a little more than a quarter, four drives total, you know, going five and eleven, basic-- thirty-four yards-- thirty-six yards with an interception, fourteen point six, passer rating.
It just I-it was not a great day individually, you know, in terms of on the field for him.
But, you know, this has been four-plus years of build up, for Browns fans.
He's only played nineteen games here since he was acquired from Houston in twenty twenty-two.
Obviously, there were all of the, you know, more than two dozen lawsuits against him, from, women in Houston, the Houston area accusing him of, of, of various sexual misconduct and such, in massage, appointments.
And after the game, Deshaun was asked about it and basically said the boos are personal.
He knows the boos are personal.
He understands the boos are personal, and that if he does get the, job, starting job, he knows that it might just have to take-- and treat it as seventeen, seventeen road games, and, you know, not get the benefit of being the home starter.
This also came on the heels of Shedeur Sanders starting the game and playing the first two quarters and, and really coming out and playing pretty well, you know, relatively speaking.
Much like, to be fair, Deshaun did a week earlier in Chicago, came out, you know, Shedeur was, you know, completed his first eight passes, including a touchdown to Luke Floria.
The pre-snap penalties were only on Buffalo while he was out there with a couple of offsides that, Shedeur drew, with, with cadence.
Again, you know, it was areas where, you know, they were interested in seeing some progress out of, out of Shedeur as, Todd Monken, you know, closes in on a decision.
You know, had hinted at early next week, you know, they have a Thursday night primetime, preseason finale against New England here.
But, it's hard to say that, you know, he said he's not gonna paint himself in the corner.
They're gonna talk tomorrow, this weekend, about the, about the decision and, and we'll see if something comes out on Monday.
But, that's where we stand.
But again, the biggest news just, thing that was, was again, Deshaun's reaction.
You know, he mentioned the boos, he mentioned the cheers from when he was injured.
He talked about, you know, playing seventeen road-- and, and really kind of peeled back the curtain and, you know, laid bare, you know, sort of his, sort of his feelings about the whole situation.
So, we'll see where that goes.
But anyways, for the Akron Beacon Journal, I'm Chris Easterly.
