Quarterbacks are the easiest target after a loss. Their numbers are the first ones fans look at, and when the passing game sputters, the blame usually lands on the player throwing the football. A closer look at the tape often tells a more complicated story. One local voice believes that is the case for Deshaun Watson after Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets.
Anthony Lima of 92.3 The Fan came to Watson’s defense.
“No running game, Watson running for his life on 70% of the passing plays, wet ball, drops galore, superhuman David Bailey game. If you thought that game was on Watson then we were watching a totally different football game,” Lima said.
No running game, Watson running for his life on 70% of the passing plays, wet ball, drops galore, superhuman David Bailey game
If you thought that game was on Watson then we were watching a totally different football game
— Anthony Lima (@SportsBoyTony) October 11, 2026
Lima’s list covers just about everything that went wrong in New Jersey, and most of it was beyond Watson’s control.
The pressure was relentless. Watson was under fire on roughly 7 of every 10 dropbacks, and the Browns allowed 8 sacks overall. Few quarterbacks can produce under those conditions, let alone in steady rain.
David Bailey was at the center of it. The Jets pass rusher lived in the Browns’ backfield for much of the afternoon, and Cleveland’s rebuilt offensive line never found an answer for him.
The lack of a running game made everything harder. Todd Monken pointed to the struggles on the ground as the root of the offense’s problems, and with Quinshon Judkins held to 44 yards, the Jets could pin their ears back without worrying about the run.
Then there were the drops. Watson acknowledged after the game that his receivers left plays on the field, and Isaiah Bond had a critical drop late in the 4th quarter. Losing KC Concepcion to a concussion in the 1st quarter only shrank Watson’s list of options further.
Despite all of that, Watson still gave the Browns a chance. His 29-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston on 3rd-and-10 put Cleveland ahead with 6:15 remaining, and he added 40 yards on the ground.
That is not to say he was perfect. Watson admitted there were throws he could have made better, and completing 15 of 33 passes is never going to be good enough to win consistently.
Judging Watson solely on Sunday’s stat line ignores the conditions he was working with, along with the 3 straight game-winning drives that came before it.
The Browns need to fix the protection and the run game before the Baltimore Ravens visit on Sunday. If they do, there is little reason to believe Watson cannot return to the form that made him one of the early surprises of the season. If they do not, the scrutiny on him will only intensify, fair or not.
NEXT: Denzel Boston Keeps Building His Case For Major NFL Award
