This Cleveland Browns Star Is Not To Blame For Inexcusable Loss To Raiders

While QB Deshaun Watson has had his fair share of struggles through four games, the Browns Week 4 loss doesn't fall in his lap

Sep 29, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to make a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

It's become the lowest hanging fruit after each and every Cleveland Browns loss at this point to blame quarterback Deshaun Watson.

In some ways it's expected. He is the quarterback of the team after all and within the football crazed society in which we all live, blame always falls back on a team's QB. With Watson though it's become more about the controversial player he is off the field, and his overall struggles to this point since he came to Cleveland via a blockbuster trade in 2022.

Naturally, after a 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Watson found himself at the center of the blame game as the team dropped to 1-3 on the season. Some of it falls into that aforementioned bucket of just the normal amount of blame that comes a quarterback's way. A large portion of it seems doused in the general disdain that exits within the Browns fan base for the embattled QB.

Watson was not the reason the Browns lost to the Raiders in Week 4. Far from in. In fact, when assessing where to direct blame for their inexcusable loss to Las Vegas, Watson belongs near the bottom of the list.

Nick Harris and his #Browns teammates commented on the controversial holding call that wiped out a 82-yard TD pass. What did they say about it? https://t.co/JBLbpFlsGE

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) September 30, 2024

The 28-year-old QB completed 24 of his 32 pass attempts for 176 yards a touchdown and an interception that cannot possibly be attributed to him. That ones on Amari Cooper, who would have redeemed himself later on when he took a fourth-quarter deep shot from Watson 82-yards for a touchdown only to have it wiped away by a ticky-tack holding call.

That questionable call also eliminated what would have been a 250-yard performance – just the second such performance of his tenure in Cleveland. Falling short of 200 yards for the fourth time this season was one of the first things fans jumped on with Watson after the game. But don't get it twisted, from start to finish, this game against the Raiders was arguably his best in a Browns uniform.

He was poised, delivering the ball with confidence on numerous occasions even while taking some massive hits – as has been a common theme during the first four weeks of the season. He was accurate, squeezing the ball into some tighter windows and hitting receivers in stride in different levels of the field.

It was the performance Browns fans waited three years for, but was unfortunately overshadowed by a comedy of errors Cleveland made in a losing effort.

Fans were quick to play the freeze-frame game with Watson for a second straight week as well, pointing to a behind the QB camera angle on the Browns final fourth down attempt from the Raiders nine, late in the fourth quarter. Watson wound up taking a sack on the play rather than giving someone a chance to make a play, which is maybe the biggest gripe of all on the attempt.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski wasn't willing to get into the play after the game. Even if he had, there's context missing in that Cleveland isn't even forced to go for it on fourth down if Dustin Hopkins doesn't miss a PAT after safety Rodney McLeod's scoop and score touchdown earlier in the quarter.

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There were just too many other things that cost Cleveland more than its quarterback. And that's the problem with pointing the finger directly at Watson.

That's not to say Watson is blameless in the Browns dreadful 1-3 start to the season. He's had his fair share of struggles under center this year and it's been called out when he has. Sunday in Las Vegas though hardly feels like the place for the fan base to drop all its frustrations at his feet.