The sad, dirty Deshaun Watson era with the Browns is nearing its foreseeable end Cleveland Browns

CCleveland fans were in awe as they watched the Browns take on the Bengals at home on Sunday. When their quarterback, Deshaun Watson, ran onto the field, some of them greeted him with deafening boos. If there was any doubt about how many fans had any doubts about Watson, the same crowd cheered running back Nick Chubb at an even higher decibel level when he returned from a lengthy injury layoff.

Watson looked like he was going to spend a lot of time on the sidelines: In the second quarter, he went down with a torn Achilles tendon. Might miss the season. Watson’s career may be over — the quarterback’s production has declined, and Achilles injuries often leave players a shadow of their former self. Cleveland was overcome with emotion as Watson was carried off the court in tears. For some, there is a catharsis or a feeling that karma has been fulfilled. For others, grief is legitimate. After all, despite Watson’s frustrating performance as a center in Cleveland and the accusations leveled against him as a man, you never want to see someone get hurt. Although in this case, you probably do. Some Browns fans did: There were scattered cheers when Watson went down injured, a reaction that Cleveland cornerback Greg Newsome II later described as “nonsense.”

One feeling all Browns fans can identify with is regret. Deeply sorry. If Browns owner Jimmy Haslam giving Watson $230 million guaranteed in 2022 wasn’t already the worst contract in NFL history, Sunday’s Achilles injury made it official.

Haslam has set the gold standard on how not to give away a contract. Not only was the amount of guaranteed money the highest in NFL history, but it was also due to handing the team over to a player who was almost certain to serve a lengthy suspension (ultimately 11 games) due to sexual misconduct allegations. Haslam’s plan was to make Watson a tasty player, but that plan failed from the start.

Watson didn’t make his debut until Week 13 of the 2022 season. His performance that season was average at best. He looks nothing like the young Houston Texans quarterback who is both efficient and explosive. In 2022, with Watson under center, the Browns went 3-3 and finished with a 7-10 record, last in the AFC North. Every game he played that season — booed in stadiums across America — also served as a reminder of what many thought of Watson as a person.

Watson’s second season was cut short by a shoulder injury. Everyman hero Joe Flacco stepped in and did an admirable job, but it was Cleveland’s elite defense that got them into the playoffs.

Any glimmer of hope the Browns had that Watson could become an above-average quarterback was quickly dashed this season. The Browns are 1-6 under Watson, including a 21-14 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. He has yet to pass for more than 200 yards in a game this season and ranks last in QBR among qualified quarterbacks. Moving on from him will also come at a steep price: He will make $46 a year in the final two years of his contract. There are a lot of poorly run teams in the NFL: but none foolish enough to take Watson and his massive contract away from the Browns.

So from a football perspective alone, Watson’s tumultuous time in Cleveland was a failure. Add to that the fact that he’s an alleged predator, with more than 24 women accusing him of sexual misconduct, and the Browns’ thoughts are unfathomable (Watson settled two dozen lawsuits involving his accusers out of court , but he was never criminally charged (charged) with sexual conduct. For many fans — including some in Cleveland — Watson’s passer rating does nothing to dispel the accusations surrounding him.

The sad, dirty Watson era with the Browns will take time to pass, although some may not understand what that means. Jameis Winston, whose reputation is unclear himself, ended Sunday’s game as Cleveland’s quarterback. He was asked about Watson after the game. “I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to serve Deshaun, but I’m extremely frustrated by the response from a man who has been the enemy of the world for the past four years,” Winston said. Maybe it’s worth asking Winston why the world turned against Watson in the first place.

Most valuable player of the week

Jared Goff, quarterback, Detroit Lions. In the Lions’ 31-29 victory over the previously undefeated Minnesota Vikings, Goff’s signature play was a beautiful 35-yard touchdown run to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the final minutes of the first half. . The Lions quarterback cut Minnesota’s Cover 0, breaking away from the safety and evading the pass rush. Not only did it change the momentum, it also sent a reminder to Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Goff performed well when he was blitzed, unlike many other quarterbacks where Flores’ defenses were scary.

It wasn’t perfect, but Goff continued his hot streak Sunday. According to the Associated Press, Goff’s stat line — 22-for-25 for 280 yards, two touchdowns, no turnovers for the third straight game and a passer rating over 140 — means he joins Aaron Rodgers ( Aaron Rodgers (2011), Kurt Warner (1999) and Roger Staubach.

Statistics for the week

176 yards. Saquon Barkley puts an end to anyone who still gets a double-take when they see the running back in an Eagles uniform. Philadelphia got off to a slow start and again failed to score in the first quarter, but the offense led by Barkley surged to beat the Giants 28-3. Barkley continued the style of his old team, rushing 17 times for 176 yards and scoring a touchdown.

Barkley’s monster game was the second-most rushing yards by a back against his former team. Only then-Bengal Cedric Benson had a better 189 yards against the Chicago Bears. It might not have been the best idea for Giants fans to burn Barkley’s jersey outside MetLife Stadium, a ritual Barkley observed upon arrival. “At that moment, I was ready to finish third and first – let’s put it that way,” he said after the race.

Video of the week

There are two lenses through which to view Patrick Mahomes’ touchdown run: a) Look at Mahomes’ vision and toughness, which for a guy who ran a 4.80 at the combine What a great play; b) Look at Mahomes walking down the sideline and he knows none of these guys are going to tackle him because even sniffing him is an automatic penalty.

Regardless, the Super Bowl rematch was not a close contest. The Chiefs beat the 49ers 28-18, with Brock Purdy prone to interceptions throughout, including forcing a pass on third down and scoring with just over 4:00 left in the game. The Chiefs didn’t exactly dominate, with Mahomes also throwing two interceptions. But KC was creative enough on both sides of the ball (especially Steve Spagnuolo’s defense) to hinder the Super Bowl runner-up. The Chiefs offense isn’t as explosive as it has been in years past, but at 6-0, they’re figuring out how to win.

As for the Niners, there will definitely be questions about Purdy this week, and some of them are valid. But the reality is that the 49ers, currently 3-4, are dealing with a series of debilitating injuries, including receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s worrisome ACL tear. However, the 49ers had one notable addition on Sunday: receiver Ricky Pearsall made his NFL debut 50 days after being shot in the chest. “I feel like I can play another game now,” said a smiling Pearsall, who had three catches for 21 yards.

Elsewhere in the league

The Washington Commanders were shocked earlier Sunday when rookie Jayden Daniels left the game with a rib injury. Marcus Mariota had a stellar performance, leading the Commanders to a 40-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Commanders (5-2) hold a narrow lead over the Eagles (4-2) and will face the Bears next week. Come on, football gods, we need a Daniels-Caleb Williams matchup.

So…how does firing their head coach and then trading Davante Adams look for the New York Jets? So far, it’s not good: they’ve lost two games since the mid-season revolution began. The latest came against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, when Adams caught just three catches on nine carries for 30 yards in a 37-15 loss. The Jets have a lot of good players but have lost a few close games. But for a team that is going all out to win, a record of 2 wins and 5 losses does not bode well. The Steelers are now 5-2 with Russell Wilson throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for another touchdown in his Pittsburgh debut.

This is how you make a first impression:

Amari Cooper’s biggest fan may be Keon Coleman. Having a true and threatening WR1 helped Coleman finish with 7 targets, 4 catches, and 125 receiving yards in the Buffalo Bills’ 34-10 win over the Tennessee Titans Had a wonderful day.

Green Bay Packers-Houston Texans didn’t quite live up to its hype, but it was a solid game. Packers freshman Brandon McManus hit a 45-yard punch on the final play of the game to give Green Bay a dramatic 24-22 win. Houston’s offense had no pulse from start to finish, and the Texans were too conservative in the final minutes of the game. They were able to do so thanks to a similarly lackluster Green Bay offense and three turnovers, including two interceptions by Jordan Love.