The Pittsburgh Steelers left Week 1 with a win, but no other AFC North team was able to manage that feat. The Cleveland Browns in particular had an awful game against the Dallas Cowboys. They got absolutely battered, losing 33-17, and QB Deshaun Watson looked like a shell of his former self.
Appearing on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday, Chris Long, who played defensive line in the NFL for 11 seasons, didn’t have any good things to say about the Browns.
“There’s no escape,” Long said. “They actually burned their only exit, which is the Joe Flacco thing. I don’t want to take anything away from Jameis Winston. Maybe he revives his career, we’ve seen it happen with Geno Smith, but Cleveland looked rough.”
Watson completed 24 of his 45 pass attempts for 169 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. The Browns only scored three points in the first half, and their offense looked worse than the Steelers’, despite them actually scoring touchdowns. The house the Browns are in is burning down, and like Long says, they have no way out.
Saying Flacco was their only exit seems like a bit of a stretch though. Last year, when Watson was hurt, the Browns turned to Flacco at quarterback. He started five games for them, winning four of those matchups, but he wasn’t amazing. He put up 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. It’s more likely that the Browns were relying on an incredible season from their defense, and they may not get that this year.
Winston is their current backup quarterback, and if Watson continues to struggle, he might see the field. However, it might be hard for the Browns to give up on Watson because of the massive deal he’s on. For the next two seasons, they might be stuck with Watson, or at least the hefty price tag that’s attached to him. It’s not a good sign that people believe 39-year-old Flacco is a better option.
Long was also asked to give an assessment on where he thinks Watson and the Browns are, and his answer might be spot on.
“Cooked.”
It is still only Week 1, but Watson hasn’t looked great over the past few years. When looking at the massive package the Browns gave up for him, it hurts even worse. Unless his quality of play picks up, it could be more of the same for the Browns in the AFC North. That’s good news for the Steelers. It means they might not be looking at a complete bloodbath when they play all their divisional games later in the year.
