The Browns are nonetheless the Browns. And Deshaun Watson continues to be Deshaun Watson
I guess the New York Jets didn’t get the memo. This was purported to be a Deshaun Watson lovefest sort of day. A day the place, a lot to the chagrin of these of us with a moral compass and a functional memory, soccer followers worldwide might declare Watson was “so again” and that the Browns had been in some blinkered, alternate universe, a Super Bowl contender. No such luck, because the Browns appeared just like the Browns – reminding an in any other case jubilant metropolis of Cleveland that they’re trapped within the sports activities equal of the Backrooms.
Limping alongside for 155 passing yards and one landing, Watson fell to Earth more durable than David Bowie in a Nicolas Roeg movie (sure, I simply watched the Dennis Miller Monday Night Football documentary on HBO). He accomplished fewer than 50% of his passes and ended the day with a 69.6 QBR. I must also in all probability point out he received sacked eight occasions. Yes, eight occasions. EIGHT TIMES. He solely accomplished seven extra passes than he acquired punishing hits behind the road of scrimmage. It was a efficiency NBC NFL author Patrick Daugherty referred to as “unspeakably bad.” Actually, I feel the efficiency was very a lot speakable, as I’ve demonstrated right here. Stick round for an additional 400 phrases.
The factor that has outlined Watson’s run as a doubtlessly viable NFL quarterback has been his skill to march down the sphere and win a sport within the dying embers of the competition. After three game-winning drives to start out the season, it appeared just like the Browns had been poised to drag out one other inconceivable victory from deep the place the solar don’t shine, however no. Not right this moment.
On 4th and 11 – with lower than a minute left within the 4th quarter, down by 5 – Watson dropped back, just for his pocket to evaporate sooner than a spilled Dasani in the course of the Mojave Desert. Ejected violently from the pocket, Watson begins to scramble. On 4th and 11, by the best way. He’s unceremoniously tackled close to the road of scrimmage, placing the sport on ice.
Starting off Sunday, these appeared like two groups entering into the other way, however the actuality on the sphere was extra just like the Spider-Man pointing meme. Offensive ineptitude, with each the Jets and Browns recording fewer than 300 yards of whole offense, giving freely two fumbles, and failing to transform touchdowns twice within the crimson zone. The New York Post may need called this game “tense” and “gritty”, however I’m certain many viewers might consider extra apropos adjectives to explain what they witnessed – a sport that hinged on a botched snap crusing via the fingers of Browns punter Corey Bojorquez. That wayward punt was a game-winning landing for Jets RB Braelon Allen.
This loss, dropping Cleveland to 3-2 on the 12 months, felt like a crucial corrective to the hyperbole and early extension talks round Watson’s early successes. American sports activities followers love a comeback story, however this one is mired in issues that are far more important than football. It actually makes everybody’s life simpler when he performs like this.
MVP of the week
Cam Little, Okay, Jacksonville Jaguars. Sure, there’s in all probability extra splashy statistical performances from right this moment. You might make a robust case for Drake Maye, whose 374 yards and 4 touchdowns gave the Patriots a convincing win over the Raiders. But I’m not going to do this, as a result of we trip for placekickers once I’m round. In a bleak, dystopian ending that felt extra like the ultimate 5 minutes of Digger than a soccer sport, the Eagles went up 17-16 with a mere eight seconds left within the contest. Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, misplacing his copy of Football for Dummies, determined to have his kicker boot the ball in play slightly than ice it with a touchback. A 53-yard return by Ameer Abdullah completely arrange a gargantuan area objective to win the sport for the Jags.
“I didn’t make the proper choice, and I misplaced us that sport, and that’s what I mentioned to our guys,” Sirianni told the media after Christmas got here early in London for Jacksonville. Now, a 57-yard area objective with almost no time left on the clock isn’t precisely a gimmie. One might perhaps forgive Sirianni for pondering the probabilities of a area objective from distance to steal the sport was unlikely. Except, the Jaguars’ placekicker is Cam Little – the person who holds the report for the longest made area objective in NFL historical past. A report he set almost a full year ago. The Eagles gave Little a dagger. He ought to be recommended for understanding the best way to use it.
Video of the week
The Texans gained their first sport of the 12 months, demolishing an equally troubled, still-winless Titans staff 26-3. CJ Stroud dropped 261 yards, a passing landing, and a operating landing on Tennessee, cementing a bounce-back second that has the NFL buzzing about simply how a lot cash he’ll command on the free-agent market. More importantly, right this moment’s result’s coupled with information of Houston getting Stroud reinforcements. WR Marvin Harrison is on the best way to the Texans from the Cardinals and Houston coach DeMeco Ryans was very happy to formally drop the bomb in a short post-game presser:
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Brevity actually is the soul of wit.
Stat of the week
Before their drubbing by the Patriots, the Raiders had scored not less than 26 factors in all 4 of their video games this season. Here, they didn’t rating a landing till the fourth quarter, managing 17 meager factors on the street at Gillette Stadium. Las Vegas had an opportunity to maintain tempo with the AFC West main Chiefs throughout KC’s bye week, however Kirk Cousins was sacked thrice and couldn’t convert scoring alternatives into touchdowns. Cousins was changed by rookie Fernando Mendoza in rubbish time, exhibiting how totally the Raiders had been dealt with right this moment. They actually didn’t profit from giving up 165 dashing yards, unfold throughout a number of New England gamers (together with 25 yards on the bottom for Maye). The Pats grabbed 8.1 yards per play, as environment friendly and lethal because it will get.
Elsewhere across the league
After a World Cup in North America, I hope everybody right here has gotten used to the idea of a tie. The Giants and Commanders actually are. In an instance of hopeless, foggy-eyed sport administration, Washington blew an opportunity to win the sport in extra time. A Cam Skattebo turnover handed the Commanders the ball with sufficient time for QB Jayden Daniels to march all the way down to the New York 24-yard line. An opulent 12 seconds remained on the clock. More than sufficient time to plunk in a area objective to win it. Except, the Commanders wandered across the line of scrimmage for precisely 12 seconds and by no means did snap the ball, not to mention spike it to cease the clock to arrange for a kick. Commanders coach Dan Quinn, like Nick Sirianni within the Eagles-Jags sport, took the blame for the mistake. For as soon as, I’d wish to see a coach simply fully throw his gamers below the bus. “Hey man, I’m not enjoying. Don’t have a look at me.” Just for selection.
Put the telephone down. No must name the authorities in your pals who’re Steelers followers. After a sport with visible tension between Aaron Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy on Thursday Night Football on 1 October, the ship was righted in Steel City, USA. Rodgers appeared tidy and comfy, connecting ultimately zone with Pat Freiermuth twice to defeat the Colts 34-22.
The Vikings are nonetheless undefeated, dropping the Saints to 1-4 on the 12 months. The sport was not as shut because the 23-13 rating, with Minnesota dominating each main staff class. New Orleans completed with a paltry 142 whole yards. Only 55 of these got here on the bottom. The Saints solely recorded one offensive landing, with the opposite approaching a fumble restoration by security Jonas Sanker. The story was far totally different for the Vikes. Minnesota RB Aaron Jones devoured up 113 yards and one landing in entrance of moribund Saints followers within the Superdome. QB Kyler Murray benefitted vastly from Justin Jefferson’s return to motion, throwing for 229 yards and a landing. Can anybody beat this Vikings staff? They’ve received a bye in week six, then the 2-3 Colts, again at US Bank Stadium. That doesn’t appear promising for Indy.
The winless Dolphins nearly pulled off a last-second miracle towards the Bengals, pulling inside a landing with lower than a minute left within the sport. But kicker Riley Patterson missed the additional level earlier than an onside kick try to recuperate possession was unsuccessful. Cincinnati took the win 31-24 off a splashy four-touchdown day for Joe Burrow. Can anybody lose to this Dolphins staff? They’ve received a bye in week six, then the 2-3 Jets, on the street at MetLife Stadium. That doesn’t appear promising for viewers.
The NFL’s oldest rivalry continued, with the Packers tossing the Bears in a meat freezer and locking the door. Metaphorically talking. Green Bay danced away with the win within the two groups’ 214th ever matchup (together with playoffs), 31-7. Bears QB Caleb Williams, maybe probably the most hated man in Wisconsin after his ruthless comeback win towards Green Bay in final 12 months’s playoffs, remained out. In his stead, Tyson Bagent appeared worse than anybody might have imagined, 12-of-21 for 87 yards and two interceptions earlier than being benched for Case Keenum. At most, Bears coach Ben Johnson would say that Williams is “on monitor” to return, however with no definitive date set. NFL reporter Ian Rappaport did recommend that there’s an opportunity he can play in week six towards the Atlanta Falcons. Perhaps the Chicago trustworthy ought to place a call to Pope Leo to speed this thing along.
As a Rams fan nonetheless smarting from our disastrous Australian drubbing, the very last thing I wish to discuss is the 49ers trying like the category of the complete NFL. But San Francisco’s journey to Lumen Field to face Seattle may need been probably the most consequential matchup of week 5. The NFC West has three official Super Bowl contenders (and the Cardinals), and two of them confronted off right here on Sunday. Seattle and San Francisco traded punches all day, however the sport got here all the way down to uncommon, essential errors, as matchups between good groups typically do.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold threw two pivotal interceptions, RB George Holani fumbled proper earlier than halftime, resulting in a landing that put the 49ers up by eight. Seattle exploded for a landing and two area objectives within the third, tilting the scales again of their course. But a seven-yard TD cross from Brock Purdy to Brandin Cooks flipped the script but once more. A profitable two-point conversion gave the Niners a three-point lead. Seattle kicker Jason Myers tied it up with just a little below seven minutes to play, however the Seahawks couldn’t get a cease to drive extra time. A 44-yard Eddy Pineiro area objective gave the 49ers a slim benefit. Darnold linked with WR Cooper Kupp, who simply almost transformed a fourth-and 10 on the 50, which might have given Seattle one final crack on the ballgame. But a controversial spot of the ball left Kupp quick and handed San Francisco their fifth win of 2026. And they did it with out ace receiver Deebo Samuel, who left the sport within the third quarter with a hamstring harm. Niners followers maintain their breath. And I put one other pin within the voodoo doll.
