Watson defends season opener after Browns’ heavy loss to Jaguars
Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson acknowledged he must protect the ball after returning from an Achilles injury in a 34–10 defeat.
Deshaun Watson has acknowledged areas for improvement after Cleveland’s season opener ended in a 34–10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.
Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was also sacked five times as the Browns were beaten by 24 points.
Speaking after the game, Watson said he found completions and operated well, while accepting responsibility for protecting the ball. His comments were reported by Yahoo Sports, which published a ClutchPoints report citing a video from News 5 Cleveland’s Camryn Justice.
Watson also said Cleveland lacked opportunities to score in the red zone. His return came after an Achilles injury sidelined him for the 2025 season, and he won the Browns’ starting-quarterback role over Shedeur Sanders during the 2026 pre-season.
Coach Todd Monken described Cleveland’s performance against Jacksonville as poor but said the result came in only the first game. The Browns are scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
