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Daniel Oyefusi, ESPNOct 14, 2024, 02:34 PM ET
- Daniel Oyefusi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. Prior to ESPN, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, as well as the Baltimore Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.
One day after the Cleveland Browns‘ offense continued to crater in a 20-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, coach Kevin Stefanski again placed his support behind Deshaun Watson as the team’s starting quarterback.
“I think Deshaun gives us the best chance to win, continues to give us the best chance to win,” Stefanski said Monday when asked why he wouldn’t insert backup Jameis Winston as the starter. “We need to play really good offensive football at his position, and really at every position to be successful.”
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In Sunday’s defeat, Cleveland’s fourth straight, the Browns became the first team since the 2014 Jacksonville Jaguars to fail to reach 20 points in each of its first six games. Cleveland is also the only team that has not recorded 300 total yards in a game this season.
Watson has posted a 21.5 QBR, the lowest among qualified passers, but Stefanski said after the game that he is sticking with Watson at starting quarterback.
On Monday, he reiterated the decision to keep starting Watson is his own.
When asked if co-owner Jimmy Haslam is “forcing” him to stick with Watson, Stefanski said, “I don’t get caught up in narratives, but we have a good dialogue with myself, [general manager] Andrew [Berry], ownership about all things that have to do with this team. They’ve been nothing but supportive, and any decision when it comes to football is my decision.”
