LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the team is “not changing quarterbacks” after Deshaun Watson and the offense struggled to do much of anything in a 34-13 loss Sunday at the Washington Commanders.
Watson looked uncomfortable at times in the pocket and got sacked seven times and fumbled once, while completing 15 of 28 passes for 125 yards. The Browns gained just 149 yards through three quarters and dropped a third consecutive game to fall to 1-4 this season.
“This is not a one-person issue on offense,” Stefanski said. "We need to play better, I need to coach better and that’s really what it is.”
Watson has failed to reach 200 yards passing in five consecutive games, the longest such stretch of his NFL career. Playing behind a banged-up offensive line and with penalties and other mistakes adding up, he never got into a rhythm and the Browns went 0 for 12 on third down with Watson at QB.
“This offense, it’s going to go as far as I go,” said Watson, whose touchdown throw to tight end Jordan Akins came with seven minutes left and the outcome already determined. "At the end of the day, if we’re not doing enough offensively, as a quarterback, you take all the pressure, you take all the heat, you take all the blame.”
Receiver Amari Cooper, who led Cleveland with four receptions for 60 yards, said he doesn't think Watson is the problem “at all.”
“I think we could all play better for him,” Cooper said. "There’s a lot of moving parts, on a football offense, specifically. There’s a lot of things we could do collectively to improve.”
Watson, who's in the third season of a fully guaranteed, five-year contract worth $230 million, said he is doing what he can to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible. His longest completion of the game was 19 yards as the Commanders brought more pressure than expected and made his afternoon a painful one.
“Not everything’s going to be perfect, but at the same time, try to create and make plays whenever nothing is there,” Watson said. "We wanted to be explosive like every other offense, and right now we’re not doing that.”
Asked if new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey should be calling the plays instead of Stefanski, Watson said, “That's a Kevin question.”
Stefanski pointed the finger at himself to be better, along with players.
“I know it’s easy to single people out," he said. "Start with me. Single me out. I need to get it fixed.”