The Cleveland Browns handed Todd Monken his first loss as head coach in the most lopsided way possible, and the new coach did not try to spin what fans watched unfold in Jacksonville. A 34-10 defeat left plenty of questions about both sides of the ball, with many fans wondering if this was a preview of what the entire season may look like.
Monken did not shy away from how disappointing the result was and made it clear that this team will improve.
“I’m not down. I’m disappointed. You’re not going to get me down. I waited a long time to be a head coach in this league and it’s awesome. We’re not where we want to be and they better get us now because, again, we’ve got a good young group and we just didn’t play well today,” Monken said.
"I'm not down. I'm disappointed. You're not going to get me down. We're not where we want to be and they better get us now because, again, we've got a good young group and we just didn't play well today." #Browns head coach Todd Monken following the 34-10 loss to the #Jaguars… pic.twitter.com/FkVdSUO9uU
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) September 13, 2026
Blowout losses can shake a locker room’s confidence quickly, and Monken’s choice of words suggests he is trying to keep the emotional response in check while still being honest about the performance.
Deshaun Watson was making his first regular-season start in nearly two years, five new starters were breaking in together along the offensive line for the first time, and the defense was adjusting to life without Myles Garrett. Monken is not excusing the result, but he is pointing to inexperience as a factor that should improve as the season progresses.
There is nowhere to go but up after such a poor performance like this, but it’s fair to wonder if continuing to start Watson is the right call, even this early in the season. Many of the things we saw on Sunday with Watson were the same things that many of us have seen since he’s been in Cleveland. Poor accuracy, poor decision-making, and a Browns offense that just can’t move the football with him behind center.
NEXT: Everyone Was Saying The Same Thing About Deshaun Watson On Sunday
