The 2024 NFL season may have only started a week ago, but Cleveland Browns fans are already in a familiar situation.
After the 33-17 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Browns are not only 0-1, but also did not look like a team that can build on last season’s wild card spot. And the biggest concern in Cleveland is the play of Deshaun Watson, because the former star quarterback continued to look like a shadow of his former self. He completed 24 of his 45 pass attempts for 169 yards, scored one touchdown and had two interceptions.
Unsurprisingly, the lackluster performances of the Browns and Watsons were the main topics of conversation during The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima in Cleveland on Monday morning. After Carman and Lima traded back and forth for the first 13 minutes, the morning show “The Fan” on 92.3 took its first caller – even though Dave in Macedonia wasn’t on the air long.
“Two numbers,” Dave said, after making an inaudible reference to Daniel Kaffee, Tom Cruise’s character in A question of honour. “You’ll find out: 42.9. 144.”
“What’s all this about?” Carman asked reluctantly.
“Watson’s quarterback rating,” Dave replied. “Mayfield’s quarterback rating.”
“Oh God, I can’t do this one more second. No, that’s enough! That’s enough!” Carman said before chasing the caller away with the show’s signature tone of Jim Ross calling in a Shawn Michaels sweet chin music kick. “First call, are we doing this? First call, are we doing this?”
The first call to Cleveland Sports Talk Radio this morning pic.twitter.com/Ef9dln5MjX
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) 9 September 2024
It goes without saying that the “Mayfield” Dave was referring to is Baker Mayfield, the former Browns quarterback who rushed for 289 yards and four touchdowns in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. After being selected by the Browns with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield spent four up-and-down seasons in Cleveland before the franchise decided to sign Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans in 2022.
After a few stumbles with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams, the former Oklahoma star has since rebounded and revived his career in Tampa Bay. The Browns, meanwhile, have not gotten much out of Watson, whose time in Cleveland was marred by suspensions, injuries and ineffective play – despite his guaranteed $230 million contract.
So the team’s decision to pass on Mayfield in favor of Watson is understandably a sensitive topic and not one that Carman felt comfortable discussing the morning after an embarrassing 6:13 a.m. loss to the Browns.
“Can I have a little time before we do this?” Carman asked. “Can I have a little time? He’s not coming home, he’s not coming back – just to play us. That’s all. He had a great day down there. Congratulations on his success. I can’t undo the deal. I can’t undo it!”
If the impact of the first week of the season is any indicator, blocking out the bullshit will be easier said than done for Watson this season unless he changes his game.
(92.3 The Fan)
