JACKSONVILLE — Well, at least Austin Barber played well. And Raheim Sanders, for that matter. But when you get curb-stomped 34-10, there will be few, if any, positives to take from it.
Let’s examine the good, the bad and the ugly from Cleveland’s season-opening loss to the Jaguars.
The Good: Austin Barber
Barber entered Sunday facing a difficult assignment.
The rookie spent most of his college career playing tackle, moved to guard during training camp and was pushed into the starting lineup after Teven Jenkins was ruled out with a back injury.
Naturally, Barber responded by becoming Cleveland’s highest-graded player, according to Pro Football Focus.
His 81.6 overall grade was considerably better than those of two more experienced linemen: Elgton Jenkins finished with a 55.8, while left tackle Spencer Fano received a 51.1.
Cleveland allowed Deshaun Watson to be sacked five times. However, the protection problems did not originate with the rookie making his first NFL start at a relatively unfamiliar position.
One good performance doesn’t establish Barber as a long-term answer, but it was an impressive beginning. On a day when almost everything went wrong for Cleveland, the rookie proved more than capable of handling his assignment.
The Bad: Cleveland’s Defense
Cleveland’s defense was supposed to be the strength of this team. Instead, Trevor Lawrence carved it apart.
Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns as Jacksonville scored on six possessions and built a 31-0 lead. Ten Jaguars caught at least one pass, and Lawrence repeatedly attacked Cleveland’s secondary for big gains.
Jacksonville finished with 360 total yards, 23 first downs and touchdowns on both of its red-zone possessions. The Jaguars also converted five of their 10 third-down attempts and controlled the ball for nearly 34 minutes.
Cleveland recorded five sacks, and Mason Graham produced a few encouraging moments with five tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss. Carson Schwesinger also finished with a team-high 10 tackles.
But those individual performances could not hide the larger problem.
The secondary allowed receivers to run free, missed tackles and surrendered four touchdown passes. That is unacceptable for a unit expected to keep Cleveland competitive while its rebuilt offense found its footing.
The Ugly: Deshaun Watson
At this point, what else is there to say?
Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Those numbers look reasonably respectable until you remember that 46 yards and the lone touchdown came with 1:52 remaining and Cleveland trailing by 31 points.
Which is to say, garbage-time statistics don’t mean squat.
Before that meaningless score, Watson spent most of the afternoon producing another expensive clown show.
His interception on Cleveland’s opening possession ended a promising drive at Jacksonville’s 33-yard line. He later put the ball on the ground twice, losing one fumble, and threw several passes that appeared to have no particular destination in mind.
The Browns finished 1-for-8 on third down, went 0-for-2 in the red zone and produced only three points before Watson’s touchdown pass to Denzel Boston.
No, the offensive line wasn’t good. The running game provided little help, and 11 penalties made an already difficult afternoon even worse.
But Cleveland has spent years waiting for Watson to justify the investment, the embarrassment and the endless drama surrounding him. His return was supposed to provide a fresh start.
Instead, he is who we thought he was.
New season. Same clown show.
