Given the trade assets they gave up to acquire him and the contract they gave him thereafter, the Cleveland Browns almost certainly will go back to Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback entering next season.
But should they?
Joe Flacco, a 38-year-old who was out of the NFL for much of the season, has stepped into the Browns’ lineup and, as their quarterback by necessity rather than by choice, has their passing game looking more dangerous than it ever did with Watson.
That was evident again Sunday when Flacco threw for 368 yards and three touchdowns as the Browns defeated the Texans, 36-22, in Houston. Flacco threw two interceptions, but he was able to get the ball downfield consistently to wide receiver Amari Cooper, who finished with 11 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns.
“What do you think [Browns owner] Jimmy Haslam is thinking seeing Flacco play way better off the couch than Watson has ever played in Cleveland with 3 more fully guaranteed years left on his contract?” former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker wrote on social media.
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Watson’s five-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $230 million makes it difficult for the Browns to admit a mistake and move on, even if that merely would mean putting Watson on the bench and keeping a less expensive and more productive quarterback such as Flacco on the field.
It was not supposed to go this well when the Browns signed Flacco, the former Super Bowl MVP for the Baltimore Ravens, to their practice squad last month. Flacco had been unable to attract an offer from the New York Jets or any other quarterback-needy team earlier in the season. He became the fourth Browns starting quarterback of the season following Watson, rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and PJ Walker.
After being plagued by shoulder problems throughout the season, Watson played his most promising game with the Browns just before his season ended, completing all 14 of his second-half passes during a Nov. 12 triumph in Baltimore. During that game, he suffered a broken bone in his right shoulder that required season-ending surgery.
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Watson has played in just 12 games in his two seasons with the Browns. He served an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy to begin last season, stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct in civil lawsuits filed by more than two dozen women. On the field, he rarely has resembled the quarterback who was a three-time Pro Bowl selection in his first four NFL seasons with the Texans.
Joe Flacco & Amari Cooper (75-yd TD)
🔸 Air Distance: 54.1 yds
🔸 Target Separation: 1.0 yds
🔸 Completion Probability: 31.6%
Cooper has gained 150 yards on vertical routes off of play action today, the most in a game over the last 5 seasons.#CLEvsHOU | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/oWHS3eC12o
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 24, 2023If Watson ever could be at his best again for the Browns, he clearly would be their top quarterback. But that’s only relevant if that version of Watson actually appears on the field. Meanwhile, Flacco has led the Browns to three victories in his four starts. They are 10-5 and in the No. 5 playoff seed in the AFC. Flacco has thrown for 1,307 yards in his four games, with 10 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Flacco’s play probably has earned him a chance next season, whether in Cleveland or elsewhere. It’s debatable whether any team would give him a training-camp opportunity to earn a starting job. But that title is becoming somewhat less significant in the NFL, with so many teams going through two, three or even four starters in a season. The Browns perhaps would be wise to consider how Flacco might fit on their roster next season, even with Watson presumably back.
Top five teams
The Ravens were dominant Monday night against the 49ers. The defense was relentless. Lamar Jackson gave an MVP-worthy performance. The Ravens clearly were the better team, and now they’re the team to beat in the entire league. But there is no letup, with the Dolphins in Baltimore for a showdown Sunday for the AFC’s top seed. | |
The 49ers were second best Monday night. They get to keep the No. 2 slot for now because they have been the closest thing to the NFL’s best and most consistent team. But Brock Purdy’s four-interception outing against the Ravens was worrisome. That was a big-stage game, and Purdy and the 49ers wilted. | |
They got the win they needed Saturday against the Chargers and moved into playoff position. They remain dangerous if they actually make the playoffs. But the Bills made it far too interesting; they remained unable to sustain a consistently high level of play. They again looked vulnerable on the road in a mixed-bag victory. | |
4. Dolphins | That was a gritty, grimy victory over the Cowboys. The Dolphins played some tough, inartistic football and got a signature win. They showed they could beat a good team. The defense played well, and Tua Tagovailoa put together a crunch-time drive toward the game-winning field goal. |
They’ve won two straight, three of four and six of eight. They’ve secured their first division title in 30 years, and now they can set their sights higher. Saturday night’s matchup with the Cowboys will give the Lions another chance to show they are capable of going deep in the NFC playoffs. |
Pierce’s bid to stay in Las Vegas
It’s getting close to the point at which there should be no more debate about the Las Vegas Raiders retaining Antonio Pierce as their coach.
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The Raiders raised their record to 4-3 with Pierce as their interim coach in Monday’s 20-14 triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. They were 3-5 when Pierce was promoted by owner Mark Davis to replace the fired Josh McDaniels.
Davis could chase a higher-profile coach, perhaps Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh. He passed over Rich Bisaccia, who led the Raiders to the playoffs in the 2021 season as interim coach following the resignation of Jon Gruden.
But Davis would be wise to keep Pierce. He will not find a coach who fits in better with the Raiders organization and can connect more effectively with the players. Pierce clearly has the Raiders playing hard and playing with an edge. He beat the Chiefs even with his quarterback, rookie Aidan O’Connell, throwing for just 62 yards on 9-for-21 passing.
Pierce said afterward that his job situation would take care of itself. The Raiders finish the regular season with games against the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. If they win those two, Pierce’s future should be secure.
Middle class
UPPER MIDDLE | LOWER MIDDLE |
|---|---|
17. Packers | |
18. Steelers | |
19. Raiders | |
9. Cowboys | 20. Saints |
21. Broncos | |
11. Buccaneers | 22. Vikings |
12. Seahawks | |
13. Bengals | 24. Falcons |
15. Texans | 26. Patriots |
16. Jaguars | 27. Giants |
Rams are relevant
The Los Angeles Rams mostly have been an afterthought since their Super Bowl victory to close the 2021 season.
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That Rams team was not exactly built to last. It was a seize-the-moment, Super Bowl-or-bust enterprise in which Coach Sean McVay and General Manager Les Snead famously surrendered future draft choices to address immediate roster needs. Some key veterans, such as wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and pass rusher Von Miller, moved on. McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive tackle Aaron Donald stayed put despite the retirement speculation that surrounded them since.
Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp were plagued by injuries last season as the Rams went 5-12. Things weren’t that much more promising this season when the Rams got off to a 3-6 start entering their bye.
But, suddenly, they’re back, at least somewhat. They are relevant again in the NFC playoff race. They have gone 5-1 since that 3-6 start, culminating with their 30-22 triumph Thursday night over the New Orleans Saints. Their only defeat during this resurgent stretch came in overtime to the Ravens.
Stafford threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over the Saints. He had help from some young players around him. Second-year running back Kyren Williams, a fifth-round pick from Notre Dame, ran for 104 yards and a touchdown. That put him above 1,000 rushing yards for the season. Rookie wideout Puka Nacua, a fifth-round selection this year from BYU, had nine catches for 164 yards and a touchdown to raise his season totals to 96 catches for 1,327 yards and five touchdowns.
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“It’s one of the more impressive rookie campaigns I’ve ever seen from any player at any position,” Stafford said on the Prime Video postgame set.
The Rams (8-7) hold the No. 6 playoff seed in the NFC. The way they’re playing, they could be a dangerous opening-round opponent for any of the conference’s front-runners.
“[When] we got all those guys rolling,” Stafford said Thursday, “we’re tough to deal with.”
Bottom five teams
28. Titans | Ryan Tannehill returned to the lineup in place of the injured Will Levis and gave a lesson on how not to manage the clock at the end of the loss to the Seahawks, taking a sack and then completing a pass in bounds as time expired for a three-point defeat. |
|---|---|
29. Chargers | They were competitive Saturday night with the Bills in Giff Smith’s debut as the interim coach following the firing of Brandon Staley. That’s a credit to Smith and the rest of the holdover coaching staff following the unsightly performance against the Raiders that led to Staley’s dismissal. But they scored field goals instead of touchdowns and ultimately could not get the stop they needed. |
30. Cardinals | Kyler Murray has played reasonably well in his six games since returning from his ACL injury, but not so well that the Cardinals don’t have an interesting decision to make in the offseason about their future at quarterback. |
31. Commanders | The fact that the Commanders’ offense functions so much better with quarterback Jacoby Brissett in charge does not bode particularly well for Sam Howell’s future as the starter. The second-half comeback in the Meadowlands led to nothing as the Jets prevailed on a late field goal. |
32. Panthers | Time ran out on the Panthers before they could attempt a tying field goal against the Packers. They have been more competitive in recent weeks, but that amounts to far too little, far too late. Now it’s all about what David Tepper will look for in a new coach. |
Jackson is the no-doubt MVP for now
The MVP race may have been settled Monday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson thoroughly outplayed San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. The Ravens outclassed the 49ers, 33-19, to establish themselves as the league’s top team. Jackson is the best player on the best team. The choice should be easy, at least for now.
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“I thought Lamar had an MVP performance tonight,” Ravens Coach John Harbaugh said after the game. “It takes a team to create a performance like that. But it takes a player to play at that level, to play at an MVP level. … Lamar was all over the field, doing everything.”
Fred Warner is one of the best linebackers in the NFL
I have never seen him look this helpless before
Lamar Jackson does that to people pic.twitter.com/Pl2u0SHxth
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) December 26, 2023Jackson threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns while adding 45 rushing yards. Purdy suffered through a four-interception nightmare before exiting the game early because of what the 49ers described as a stinger.
Jackson was the unanimous MVP of the 2019 season, when the Ravens entered the AFC playoffs as the No. 1 seed but lost a divisional-round game at home to the Tennessee Titans. They’ll have to hope for a better postseason showing this time.
Mayfield is thriving in Tampa
Quarterback Baker Mayfield, once displaced from Cleveland by the Browns’ trade for Watson, may have found a home in Tampa.
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Mayfield, the No. 1 selection in the 2018 draft by the Browns, took a winding path to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Browns traded him to the Carolina Panthers before last season. The Panthers released him, at Mayfield’s request, and he had a successful late-season stint with the Rams before signing with the Buccaneers in March.
He won a quarterback competition with Kyle Trask and now is having one of the better seasons of his career. Mayfield has thrown for 3,598 yards and 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He is eligible for free agency again this offseason and could secure a solid contract to re-sign with the Buccaneers.
“I would love to be here,” Mayfield said after Sunday’s victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. “It’s a great city, great group of guys, great organization. But winning ballgames takes care of that. So we’ll have that discussion after the year.”
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The Buccaneers, at 8-7, have a one-game lead in the NFC South. They could win the division for a third straight year in the first season since quarterback Tom Brady’s retirement.
Mayfield has “been outstanding,” Coach Todd Bowles said Sunday. “He’s been outstanding in December. That’s what you want from your quarterback in December. … When you’re trying to make a push and your quarterback is playing great, it gives you a chance.”
Saints without Payton
The Saints were lovable losers before Sean Payton’s arrival in 2006. They have reverted to losing, mostly without the lovable part, since the coach’s departure following the 2021 season.
Thursday night’s loss to the Rams dropped the Saints to 7-8. They’re 14-18 as they near the completion of their second season without Payton.
That’s not dreadful. But Payton raised the expectations considerably during his 15 seasons as the Saints’ coach over 16 years.
He won 63.1 percent of his regular season games, compiling a record of 152-89, and guided the Saints to the playoffs nine times. They won the Super Bowl in the 2009 season, cementing the once-downtrodden franchise’s status as a rallying point for the community after New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Payton and Drew Brees arrived together in 2006 and ended up forming one of the most successful coach-quarterback combinations in NFL history.
The Saints promoted Dennis Allen from defensive coordinator to head coach after Payton stepped down following the 2021 season. It remains to be seen whether Saints owner Gayle Benson would allow Allen to remain in place following a second straight non-playoff season.
Amazon viewership rises
Amazon will complete its second season of being the exclusive national carrier of the NFL’s Thursday night package with this week’s Jets-Browns game.
That matchup might not provide a viewership boost, but the predictions by NFL leaders early in the season that Amazon would show Year 2 improvement in viewership have proved accurate. Thursday night games on Amazon are averaging 11.97 million viewers this season, up 25 percent from last season’s average of 9.57 million.
The NFL also is getting the younger demographic that it is seeking. According to Amazon, the average age of the “Thursday Night Football” viewer this season is 48.5. That is 6.9 years younger than the average NFL viewer on linear TV networks and 13.5 years younger than the average NFL prime-time viewer on broadcast TV.
The NFL has made a commitment to putting its games on streaming platforms. It placed the “NFL Sunday Ticket” package on YouTube this season, and the Bills-Chargers game Saturday night was carried by Peacock.
The increase in Amazon viewership this season is part of a strong overall trend for the NFL. The average game this season had drawn 17.5 million viewers across TV and digital platforms through Week 15, up 7 percent from last season. Of the 75 most-viewed shows on TV since the start of the NFL season through Week 15, 72 of them were NFL games.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post. The newspaper’s interim CEO, Patty Stonesifer, sits on Amazon’s board.
The never-ending Harbaugh NFL speculation
As Jim Harbaugh prepares to coach Michigan in the College Football Playoff, he reportedly is negotiating a contract extension with the school that, if completed, would keep him from returning to the NFL next season.
But some in the league continue to wonder whether Harbaugh will at least explore his NFL options, as he has done in other recent offseasons. The Los Angeles Chargers’ job is vacant and could be attractive, given the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert. The Raiders’ job could be available if they don’t keep Pierce. The Chicago Bears’ job could be alluring to Harbaugh, a former Bears quarterback, if the franchise opts to fire Matt Eberflus.
Harbaugh already served a suspension handed down by the Big Ten, and his program remains under investigation by the NCAA. It remains possible the NFL would honor any suspension imposed by the NCAA on Harbaugh in the alleged improper scouting and sign-stealing case, based on integrity-of-the-game considerations, people familiar with the deliberations have said. Michigan reportedly also received a notice of allegations from the NCAA related to an investigation of coaching and recruiting during the coronavirus pandemic dead period.
Twenty-four teams still in it
The NFL may lack a true super team this season. But its competitive balance is intact.
Entering Week 17, 24 teams remain in playoff contention. That’s tied for the most with two weeks remaining since there were a record 26 in 2004.
Only the Jets, Patriots, Titans, Chargers, Commanders, Giants, Panthers and Cardinals have been eliminated.
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