The Cleveland Browns entered Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers seeking an offensive breakthrough, but their hopes were quickly dashed.
After a promising debut against the Baltimore Ravens where he threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, Jameis Winston’s performance took a sharp downturn, marked by three interceptions and a stagnant run game.
Winston’s brief tenure with the Browns has already earned him an unwanted distinction.
Stats show that Winston ranks second in dropped interceptions this season with five, trailing only Matthew Stafford who has six.
Bills’ Josh Allen, Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield, and Eagles’ Jalen Hurts follow with four each – which is notable considering these quarterbacks have started every game for their teams while Winston has played just two full contests.
Most dropped interceptions this season:
1. #Rams Matthew Stafford (6)
2. #Browns Jameis Winston (5)
T3. #Bills Josh Allen (4)
T3. #Bucs Baker Mayfield (4)
T3. #Eagles Jalen Hurts (4)Winston has played two full games 🤯
(via @PFF) pic.twitter.com/ixOqu3fLFg
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 5, 2024
The Chargers game exposed Winston’s struggles, as he completed 26 of 46 passes for 235 yards.
His sole touchdown came late in the game, a 17-yard connection with Cedric Tillman with just 44 seconds remaining.
Three interceptions marred his stat line, resulting in a dismal 50.5 passer rating.
Cleveland’s offensive woes have persisted throughout the season, with the team rarely surpassing 18 points per game outside of their Week 8 performance.
The Week 9 matchup was viewed as a critical test for an offense that had shown glimpses of potential.
Instead, the entire team faltered, raising questions about those near-interceptions against the Ravens that could have painted a different picture of Winston’s initial success.
Despite implementing a solid offensive strategy with several scoring opportunities, Winston’s errors proved costly.
Winston consistently struggled with accuracy, forcing throws and displaying problems with both overthrowing and underthrowing his receivers throughout the game.
NEXT: Jerry Jeudy Is Leading The Browns In 1 Offensive Category This Season
