Why did Browns turn to Watson as Week 1 starter?
Mike Florio reacts to the Browns reportedly naming Deshaun Watson as the team's Week 1 starter, breaking down Todd Monken's decision to go with the controversial veteran over Shedeur Sanders.
Video Transcript
You know, I knew I'd be down here at some point today, probably sooner rather than later.
It came out even sooner than I expected.
I knew it would be leaked.
You can't keep a secret like this, especially when, as a wise man once said, the Browns is the Browns.
They should just sign JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Wouldn't that be perfect?
He's the guy that coined that phrase and they've proven yet again the dysfunctional nature of the team, even though I understand the thinking from Coach Todd Monken in making quarterback Deshaun Watson the week one starter.
We talked about this on PFT Live, and at the end of the day, even though I'm a firm believer they should just pay Deshaun Watson the remaining $1.3 million on his $230 million contract and have him not play, I firmly believe that he should never wear a Browns uniform again.
Monken is trying to thread a needle here.
Monken, I believe, sees an opportunity to go to Jacksonville and possibly upset the Jaguars week one, and then go to Tampa Bay and possibly upset the Buccaneers in week two.
And if he believes from a football standpoint only, setting aside all other factors, that the Browns are in a better position to win those games with Deshaun Watson at quarterback right now than Shedeur Sanders, I get it.
I understand it.
The fans aren't gonna like it.
We're not even 48 hours removed from the loud booing of Deshaun Watson, his post-game comments, which surely have been the talk of the town, a slap in the face at the Browns fans, and really a confirmation that the relationship between Cleveland and Watson has irreparably fractured.
Now, it may not be irreparable.
If, if, and it's a big if, hey, the Browns haven't been 2-0 since 1993.
They weren't even the Browns then.
They were the Ravens then.
And I know that, that people in Baltimore don't like that.
People in Cleveland don't like it.
But let's be realistic to the facts.
The team that started 2-0 in 1993 is now the Ravens.
The current Browns, which entered the NFL as an expansion team in 1999, have never been 2-0.
But if Monken thinks that, number one, Watson gives them the best chance to do it, and number two, that if they manage to serve up hot soup, not cold soup, the first two weeks, the fans may show up at the restaurant week three not ready to dump soup, hot, cold, or otherwise, on Watson's head.
Things change quickly in the NFL.
See, Monken has been around long enough to realize that there are ebbs and flows and highs and lows, and right now it's at a low point for Watson and the Browns, or at least Watson and Browns fans.
They win the first two games, different vibe.
First 2-0 start since 1993.
That'll be the headline.
First time the Browns have started the season with two straight wins since they weren't even the Browns.
Creates a much different vibe when the Panthers come to town for week three.
Makes the fans more inclined to support the team, not inclined to show up and make the entertainment portion of the day booing Watson as loudly as they can.
They'll be there to support the team, faces painted David Putty style.
They'll see an opportunity to get to 3-0, which they also last did in 1993.
That's it.
That's the logic.
It's that simple.
If they lose one of those two games, and definitely if they lose both, it will not be Deshaun Watson in week three, guaranteed.
Even as dysfunctional of the, as the Browns have been, if they lose the first two games, it will not be Deshaun Watson week three.
If, if they decide to trot out Deshaun Watson for week three after starting 0-2, they should just disband the franchise.
They have no hope ever if they don't recognize the folly of starting Deshaun Watson week three if they lose the first two games.
But if they win them, that's what Monken is banking on.
A tidal wave of support which would pop up instantaneously from week one to week two.
It's an eight-day on the calendar stretch.
Win week one, win week two, hey, maybe this guy can play.
And I think from Monken's perspective, the best piece of evidence to support what I think he subjectively wanted to do anyway is how Watson played week one of the preseason on the road against the Bears.
He played better against the Bears in Chicago than Shedeur Sanders played on Saturday against the Bills in Cleveland.
Now, Shedeur didn't have the benefit of the starting offense, but regardless, I think it was close, and I think the hedge by Monken, let's see what Watson can do.
Let's give him an opportunity to show that he can get back to being something like the guy that we last saw in 2020.
And to channel whatever frustration he was feeling on Saturday, right or wrong, tone deaf or not, especially when he said he has no regrets about anything in his life, we all, as I said earlier today, should have at least one regret about something we've done in our life, and he's got 25 regrets that he just kinda glossed over, and I think he wants people to pretend as if it never happened.
If he can take the negative and fuel that into significant performances And that's the other thing, too.
They can't be 2-0 with Deshaun Watson not playing well.
They've gotta be 2-0 and he plays well.
And then they can continue.
Remember, week three and week four come quickly.
It's Panthers, it's Steelers, Sunday and Thursday.
Two home games with only four days between them.
But I think that's what it comes down to.
If week one and week two were at home, I think even the Browns would recognize it has to be Shador Sanders.
With those games on the road, Watson gets a chance, a chance.
And hey, at this point, that's the best he could hope for.
Two days ago, it seemed like he would never get a chance again.
But Monken has decided this is the guy that gives them the best chance to win in Jacksonville, win in Tampa, and in so doing, win over a fan base that seems to be ready to move on from Watson for good.
The bet is they'll feel very differently if Watson somehow can engineer a pair of upsets on the road against the Jaguars and the Buccaneers.
Either way, it will continue to be a very hot topic because unlike Minnesota, where Kevin O'Connell named a starter with the idea that Kyler Murray will be the guy for all 17 regular season games, this thing is going to be subject to change in Cleveland, and it will change quickly if they lose either or both of those first two games.
It may not change if they manage to win them and in turn win the crowd and possibly win against the Panthers, setting up a showdown with the Steelers that, if everything goes well, puts 4-0 in play for the Browns.
I wouldn't wager anything of value on that outcome, but that's what Todd Monken is trying to do.
And again, he believes that Watson gives them the best chance to make a strong start in Monken's first year as head coach.
That's it for this emergency edition of PFT PM from the Olive Garden studio here at PFT headquarters.
You never know when I'll be back.
If not today, we'll see you tomorrow morning for an all-new edition of PFT Live, 7 a.m. Eastern on Peacock, NBCSN, and Sirius XM 85.
Have a great day.
