The Cleveland Browns’ 34-10 loss to Jacksonville is already drawing plenty of criticism, and CBS Sports added more by handing Cleveland the worst grade of any team in Week 1. John Breech broke down what went wrong across every game around the league, and few teams fared worse than the Browns in his eyes.
Breech gave the Browns an ‘F’ grade and explained exactly why Cleveland earned the lowest mark of the week.
“Deshaun Watson didn’t look great in the preseason, and, unsurprisingly, that carried into Week 1. It might already be time for a QB change. The fact that the Browns struggled on offense wasn’t a huge shocker, but it was a surprise to see Cleveland’s defense get run off the field. If this is how the Browns are going to look all season, they might go 0-17,” Breech wrote.
Jacksonville’s performance only made Cleveland’s outing look worse by comparison. The Jaguars forced two turnovers and two three and outs across Cleveland’s first four possessions, a level of dominance on both sides of the ball that left little room for the Browns to find any rhythm. Trevor Lawrence carved up Cleveland’s secondary for 245 yards and four touchdowns while spreading the ball to nine different receivers, with Parker Washington posting 83 yards and a score.
The suggestion of a possible quarterback change was a common talking point after the game. Many are calling for Shedeur Sanders to get a look, but that decision ultimately rests with Todd Monken.
Cleveland’s brutal grade also comes with historical context. The Browns have won the season opener only three times since returning to the league in 1999, a stretch of futility in Week 1 that dates back decades. Whether Monken’s team can turn things around starts with erasing the memory of this outing entirely, beginning next week in Tampa Bay.
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