The Week 7 Battle of Ohio between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns began off like most different Browns video games this season: poorly.
The primary sequence with Deshaun Watson behind heart was a three-and-out. The second, a 10-play, 32-yard drive, ended with a missed area objective. The third and fourth drives, the latter of which Watson was injured on, led to punts. Watson was carted off the sphere and was confirmed to have an Achilles harm. Browns followers have been fed up with Watson for a number of causes, beginning with the standard, or lack thereof, of Watson’s play.
He’s tied for twenty fourth within the league with 5 touchdowns on the season, and he’s thrown for 5 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has taken a staggering 31 sacks, and that’s not all on Watson, however he does generally tend to carry onto the ball too lengthy. Invoice Barnwell at ESPN broke this down intimately a couple of days in the past, calling these first few weeks “a historic outlier of a dismal begin to Watson’s season.”
The Browns gave this man nearly 1 / 4 of a Billion With a B {dollars} to play like this. It was all the time an enormous gamble — on the time Watson turned out there by way of commerce from the Texans in 2022, he hadn’t taken a single dwell sport snap because the 2020 season ended. He’s by no means lived as much as this unprecedented huge assured deal, and a wage cap hit of that dimension hinders roster constructing and long-term success. There’s a likelihood that this harm may clear some wage cap area for the Browns — not sufficient to make up for shedding this large guess, however it’ll assist some.
And sure, whereas plenty of followers — and apparently Watson’s Browns teammates — have been prepared to look the opposite manner concerning roughly 20 settlements and pending civil litigation stemming from sexual misconduct allegations in opposition to Watson from a number of ladies.
Myles Garrett weighed in on followers booing his teammate after Watson suffered the Achilles harm.
Myles Garrett clearly upset with followers booing Deshaun Watson’s harm. Mentioned Watson “does just about all the pieces proper. He’s been a mannequin citizen by way of school and a lot of the execs.” pic.twitter.com/gElBYyI2Ym
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) October 20, 2024
Myles Garrett is, for my part, probably the most clever gamers within the Nationwide Soccer League. I completely perceive backing up your teammate, and I’m not criticizing him for that. However saying Watson has been a “mannequin citizen” by way of “a lot of the execs” is a bridge too far for me. I do know a bunch of ladies would beg to vary.
I agree with Garrett that Watson shouldn’t be getting loss of life threats and on no account ought to his household be threatened or harassed. You understand who else received loss of life threats and was threatened and harassed, although? The lady who made sexual misconduct allegations in opposition to Deshaun Watson whose identification was not stored personal.
Jameis Winston, who has additionally confronted credible sexual assault allegations on multiple event, had lots to say about Watson’s harm.
Winston could be very upset on behalf of a person who has “had the world in opposition to him for the final 4 years,” and one way or the other fails to say that the world has been in opposition to Watson as a result of Watson has been credibly accused of sexual misconduct by over two dozen ladies! And he’s presently below investigation for sexually assaulting a girl on a date. These details are crucial context!
I 100% consider Watson works arduous and is a supportive teammate. I’ve by no means heard something on the contrary and I’ve been following his profession since he was in highschool. And if you realize ball, you realize the Browns’ failings are usually not 100% on Deshaun. It’s a franchise steeped in distress, and that’s by no means been the fault of 1 particular person. There’s blame to go round — beginning with the entrance workplace that put the long run well-being of the group on the road with that $230 million assured.
However once more, if you realize ball, you additionally know that Deshaun is a shadow of the participant he was at Clemson and in his early days within the NFL. And he could also be going through one other suspension primarily based on the end result of the league’s investigation into the most recent civil lawsuit in opposition to him. No, I don’t condone cheering when a participant is injured, however particularly if this harm will get the Browns some cap aid and an opportunity to see what Dorian Thompson-Robinson can do, I can perceive why Browns followers wouldn’t be heartbroken about it.
What I’ll by no means perceive is Myles Garrett, and significantly Jameis Winston, sticking up for Watson’s character. Have your teammate’s again and criticize the followers’ response to the harm all you need, however these allegations in opposition to him are a giant a part of the explanation Browns followers are over Deshaun Watson, they usually shouldn’t be glossed over.
