3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 1 Win vs. Bengals
The Cleveland Browns have won consecutive season-openers for the first time since coming back to the NFL in 1999. This year's Week 1 win feels a lot different than the 2022 version.
A year ago, the Browns narrowly escaped the Carolina Panthers with a last-second field goal by then-rookie Cade York—who is no longer with the team. On Sunday, Cleveland bullied the rival Cincinnati Bengals and the league's new highest-paid player, Joe Burrow.
Did everything go perfectly? In true Browns fashion, it did not. However, Cleveland still rolled the Bengals in a 24-3 game that was over midway through the fourth quarter.
The result is exactly what the Browns wanted as they kick off what they hope will be a playoff campaign. Through all the ups and downs, these are our three biggest takeaways.
Jack Conklin's Injury is Significant, but Dawand Jones Looked the Part
Let's start with the bad. The Browns lost starting right tackle Jack Conklin early in the game to a knee injury, and it appears to be potentially season-ending.
"You hope, but that doesn't look good," head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters. "I feel absolutely awful for Jack."
Conklin, a one-time All-Pro and one-time Pro Bowler, is a huge piece of Cleveland's line and its offensive identity. Losing him for any extended time is a serious blow to the Browns playoff hopes.
On a positive note, the Browns were able to lean on rookie fourth-round pick Dawand Jones at right tackle for the rest of the game. Jones did not appear to be a downgrade from Conklin, and the Browns offense didn't really miss a beat with the rookie in the lineup.
Cleveland's offensive issues were mostly the result of turnovers (two) and some very inaccurate throws by Deshaun Watson.
Jones was a star at Ohio State, and the mammoth 6'8" 378-pound blocker looked very capable during the preseason. The question was whether he could handle himself in the regular season.
Due to Conklin's unfortunate injury, the Browns got their answer early. Jones appears to be a starting-caliber tackle.
Deshaun Watson's Up-and-Down Play Continues
If the Browns hope to be legitimate contenders in 2023, they need quarterback Watson to return to the Pro Bowl form he last showed in 2020. The 27-year-old signal-caller said before the season that he could be even better.
"I feel like I've improved. I've evolved to a new level. And I'm ready to be able to show that," Watson said, per ESPN's Jake Trotter.
Unfortunately, that's not what Cleveland saw from its quarterback on Sunday. Watson appeared more comfortable attacking down field than he did in 2022, but he was far too often simply off-target.
Early wet conditions and the swirling lakefront winds certainly didn't help, but several of Watson's throws were just low and short of the receiver. He threw too late to a streaking Marquise Goodwin early in the game on what should have been a touchdown. He threw at the feet of Amari Cooper on a key third-and-long late in the second quarter.
Watson (16-of-29 for 154 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) had a few nice throws, had rushing and passing touchdowns and did enough to win. However, He's still simply running the Browns offense instead of lifting it.
Cleveland's New-Look Defense Could be Great
Cleveland's strong defensive performance comes with a few caveats. Burrow missed the entire preseason with a calf injury, and he was visibly affected by the Cleveland rain and win.
Still, any unit that holes the high-powered Bengals to 142 yards, six first downs and three points deserves to take a victory lap.
The Browns might have even pitched a shutout if not for an 18-yard pass-interference call that pushed the Bengals into field-goal range.
This was expected to be a much-improved defense after Cleveland added the likes of Za'Darius Smith, Shelby Harris, Dalvin Tomlinson and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. The question is whether new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz could get players new and old to mesh quickly.
It appears he can. The new defensive line pressured Burrow throughout the game, while Cleveland's vaunted secondary practically erased Cincinnati's star receiver trio of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd (49 combined yards).
Star pass-rusher Myles Garrett punctuated the dominant performance with a 13-yard sack on 4th-and-4 that essentially ended Cincinnati's hope of a comeback.
Cleveland has the players, and if Sunday was an accurate preview of what Schwartz can accomplish with them, the Browns could have one of the top defenses in the league this season.