Watching the Jameis Winston Experience, Troy Aikman wondered Monday night what could have been in this lost Browns season.
“This is a tough league.'' “We all talk about equality, but when it comes to your hometown team, nobody wants to hear that,'' Aikman said of Winston in the Browns' 41-32 loss. said as he watched him throw for 497 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions, including two pick-sixes. Road loss to the Broncos. “Kevin Stefanski is an outstanding football coach and it shows. He won Coach of the Year twice. What he did last year to get that group into the postseason — they started four quarterbacks and was ravaged by injuries. And I understand, this year hasn't been what people expected.
“But the albatross is Deshaun Watson. Would this look different if we went to Jameis Winston earlier in the year? Because the defense's struggles are at least partially due to how inept the offense is and how it moves the football.” I think it has something to do with how well I play.I think it also has an impact on my defense.”
The Browns (3-9) are listed as potential No. 1 picks, but compared to the lackluster play led by Watson, the Browns (3-9) have shown some energy with the performance of Winston under center.
Watson, who received his first fully guaranteed contract in the NFL, led the Browns to a 1-6 record while throwing just five touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Browns failed to score 20 points in any game he played under center until he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 7 against the Bengals.
Some speculated that Cleveland should have removed Watson from the starting lineup before the injury, but Watson's contract certainly played a role in such a big decision.
Cleveland is 2-3 with Winston starting, including upset wins over the Steelers and Ravens, and generally plays better football with Winston leading the way.
The Browns almost escaped Denver with a win on Monday thanks to the duo of Winston and Jerry Jeudy, but a late pick ended any hopes of a comeback.
“I can't help but wonder what this year would have been like for Cleveland if Jameis had taken over from the beginning, or at least much earlier than when he took over,” Aikman said. “I know Deshaun Watson went down with a torn Achilles tendon, but it was really tough to watch him offensively.”
Aikman and ESPN analyst Joe Buck weighed in on the topic while discussing Cleveland's inspired play in Monday's game, which didn't really matter to the Browns.
The team entered this year with high hopes after Joe Flacco's unexpected performance in the playoffs in place of the injured Watson last year, but this year has been one of the bigger disappointments for the NFL.
Watson is under contract for two more seasons, so how the Browns handle the QB position going forward will be a big storyline this offseason.
“Yes, (Stefanski) is the current coach this year, but this has been a disappointing season,” Buck said. “But they're still playing for him. They're making plays on defense, they're making plays on offense, and they're giving Denver a game here (Monday).”
