The Cleveland Browns currently sit at the bottom of the AFC North. Most analysts projected the Browns to be better than their record would indicate. And with a whopping $230 million dollar investment lying around, it is easy to use Deshaun as the scapegoat (legal issues aside). However, it is a stretch to say that Deshaun has played so poorly that he should shoulder most (and to some, all) the blame for why Cleveland is in the hole they are in.

Sure, Deshaun’s numbers are not good. He has five touchdowns and three picks in five games. His QB rating is only 74.8. These are mediocre numbers, but do they tell the whole story? For example, Aaron Rodgers has comparable numbers to Watson (seven touchdowns, three picks, and QB rating of 81.6), but every Browns fan would be head over heels if Rodgers was their QB1. Jared Goff has five touchdowns and four picks. Put plainly, would Aaron Rodgers or Jared Goff be able to fix the Browns absent running game? Only six teams have lower rushing yards than the Browns. last season, the Browns had a much more balanced offense. Last season, Cleveland thrived by utilizing the run game and then using play-action to make big plays. This has been a formula behind the Browns’ recent success and especially during the team’s playoff seasons.

Replacing Nick Chubb was never possible, but it is clear that the Browns will not have the same success they did a season ago or in 2022 unless they improve their running game and make better play-calls. Additionally, the Browns lead the league in dropped catches currently. While some of those drops may be from Deshaun, there have been several easy catches that players like Amari Cooper and David Njoku normally catch. This is a problem, but not one that Watson can fix much.

It’s true that Watson is playing poorly, and he is somewhat responsible for the team’s lack of success. But when you watch Cleveland’s games, their offense is predictable. Often, the Browns are almost always in a third and long situation. This is often due to lack of yards gained from the run game. And when your receivers are dropping what would be first downs, there is no quarterback in the world who can win the game for you.

Simply put, Deshaun Watson is not the culprit. He’s the scapegoat. Whatever your feelings on him as a person, he cannot shoulder the blame for the lack of team success. I will leave you with this. When the Browns inevitably move on from Watson this summer, do you really trust this team to win more games next season with someone else under center?