CLEVELAND (AP) — Even though Deshaun Watson has been cleared from the concussion protocol, it isn’t certain he’ll be the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback for this week’s game against his former team, the Houston Texans.
Coach Todd Monken said on Monday that he wasn’t ready to name a quarterback since he still wants to evaluate Sunday’s 23-22 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints with the offensive coaching staff.
Shedeur Sanders was solid in his first start of the season, completing 19 of 31 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
“It’s week to week. A player doesn’t lose or win a job ... I don’t know what that means. Each week we put the best players on the field that give us a chance to win,” said Monken when he was asked if he believes a player can lose their starting job due to injury.
Monken also didn’t set a timeline for when he would tap either Watson or Sanders as this week’s starter. Sanders’ late-game performance showed Monken that the second-year quarterback and son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is showing signs of development.
“There were moments at the end of the game where he made plays,” Monken said. ”He got it in the players’ hands and did a really good job. He was in command. So, I was really pleased for him and I was hopeful he played well. I thought he had a great week of practice, and there is no guarantee that that will carry over.
“It gives me more and more confidence in what I saw in the fall, that there’s something to build on, for sure.”
Monken decided to go for the win after Harold Fannin Jr.‘s 39-yard touchdown in overtime, but Sanders was pressured on the 2-point conversion and couldn’t complete his pass to Denzel Boston after rolling right. Even if Boston would have caught it, the play would have been nullified because right tackle Tytus Howard was called for holding.
Monken said Sanders didn’t have a chance to complete a quick throw.
“They did a good job with their corners of disrupting us at the line of scrimmage,” Monken said. “We didn’t get to the spots we needed to get to, so could’ve even sat in there a little bit, of course, but we got disrupted and that threw us off a little bit.”
After only three home games in the first nine weeks, the Browns are home for five weeks, including their bye week, and don’t hit the road again until Dec. 19 against the New York Giants. Even though there is some disappointment at being 5-4 after consecutive losses for the first time this season, Monken tried to stress the positives to his players after the close loss in New Orleans.
“We’ve earned being 5-4,” he said. ”We’re right there in the mix. I do believe our best football is ahead of us, and I wanted our guys to know that we made it through a pretty damn hard grind of having six of your first nine on the road. We’re 3-0 at home. Guess what? We have the next four at home and a bye week.
“It’s all right there in front of us. It really is.”
What’s working
Sanders was 3 of 5 for 154 yards and a touchdown on downfield attempts (throws of 10 air yards or more). All five attempts happened after halftime.
What needs help
The Browns have allowed opponents to score on the opening possession in all but one game this season. The 41 points allowed on first drives are tied with Miami for the worst in the league. Five of those drives ended in touchdowns, while the Saints were the third team to score on a field goal.
Stock up
Boston and KC Concepcion became the first rookie wide receiver duo to both have at least 85 yards receiving in the same game since Amari Cooper and Seth Roberts did it for the Oakland Raiders in 2015. Boston had six catches for 98 yards and Concepcion added four receptions for 85 yards and his first touchdown.
Stock down
Safety Grant Delpit had a rough day in his hometown, allowing five receptions for 41 yards. He got caught flat-footed on Juwan Johnson’s 15-yard touchdown in overtime.
Key injuries
The Browns left New Orleans without any significant injuries.
Key number
7 — Consecutive field goals made by Andre Szmyt of 50 yards or more.
Next steps
Cleveland will host Houston on Sunday. Watson made his Browns debut against the Texans in 2022, completing 12 of 22 passes for 131 yards in a 27-14 victory.
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Joe Reedy, The Associated Press