The Cleveland Browns pulled off a shocking, 29-24, upset win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon with backup quarterback Jameis Winston main the way in which.
It was not an ideal efficiency by any means, however it was a win, towards an excellent staff and it was the primary time all season that the Browns offense confirmed any type of a spark.
It solely highlights what an issue the Browns have long-term with their Deshaun Watson state of affairs.
Together with that, it additionally additional calls into query why the Browns had been so defiant in not making a quarterback change earlier than Watson’s damage.
Winston bought the beginning on Sunday as a result of Watson is sidelined for the rest of the season because of an Achilles damage that he suffered of their Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Previous to the damage Watson and the Browns offense had been off to one of many worst begins any NFL staff has had in over a decade.
They failed to attain at the very least 20 factors in any particular person sport.
That they had zero 300-yard video games as a staff.
That they had received only one out of their first six video games.
Watson himself was performing statistically because the worst quarterback in soccer.
It was terrible soccer.
Regardless of all of these details, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski refused to even entertain the thought of creating a quarterback change. The favored principle as to why is that as a result of the Browns made such an funding in Watson, each when it comes to draft picks within the commerce to amass him and the $252M assured contract, that they had been decided to try to make it work. Even perhaps on the urging of possession.
In solely took one sport for Winston to make all of that look silly.
The Browns not solely scored 29 factors, by far their highest whole of the season, in addition they lastly topped the 300-yard mark for the primary time all season with 401 whole yards. Winston alone had 334 yards passing.
Possibly with Winston beginning all season the Browns would nonetheless be in an identical state of affairs. They nonetheless have loads of points past the quarterback place, particularly alongside their offensive line. Possibly Winston by no means performs this nicely once more and the Browns come again subsequent week and wrestle towards the Los Angeles Chargers.
It additionally is likely to be too late to salvage the season when it comes to the playoff race. All of which may very nicely be true. Additionally it is true that the Browns nonetheless have an enormous long-term downside with Watson and no option to get out of that contract. As quickly as he’s wholesome subsequent season and capable of play, he’ll.
That is also an issue. Particularly for the reason that Browns offense has carried out at its finest the previous two seasons when it has been quarterbacked by Winston and Joe Flacco.
