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Browns have to bench Watson, McCarthy is back

Posted on by Kennedy
Browns have to bench Watson, McCarthy is back

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Kudos to Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski for falling on the sword and taking the blame for his quarterback even when he didn't have to.

Deshaun Watson had another disappointing performance on Sunday against the Commanders, and anyone who has seen the Browns' $230 million guaranteed starter knows it's time to bench him.

“We don’t change quarterbacks,” Stefanski said after the Browns were knocked out by the Commanders. “We have to play better, I have to train better and that’s really it.”

Stefanski's comments spark USA TODAY Sports' NFL overreactions in Week 5, because dude, seriously?

The Browns have not scored more than 18 points in any game this season. They averaged a league-worst 3.9 yards per play and 239.4 yards per game. Watson finished 32ndnd in the NFL with a QBR of 23.9 and a pass success rate of 31.7.

The most striking stat: Watson's -0.30 EPA (expected points added) per dropback is the lowest for a Browns QB in Weeks 1 through 5 since at least 2000 – even lower than his -0.20 EPA last season. Basically, don't expect any points from Watson.

Maybe what Stefanski said in the postgame press conference was the right thing, but hopefully he'll see the light by Wednesday and name Jameis Winston the Week 6 starter.

“Right now, Deshaun Watson has completely handcuffed the organization with his contract and trade to the Houston Texans. If it was any other quarterback in football, we would be talking about benching him,” NBC NFL analyst Chris Simms said before Sunday Night Football.

Former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett also offered a notable solution:

“I think now you should give Jameis Winston a chance. Maybe you will get new energy. Maybe there is a spark on this team. That doesn't mean this is the decision for the rest of your life. They can make a mutual decision,” Garrett said. “Maybe bring him back in a week. But they cannot continue on the path they are currently on. You have no chance of winning.”

Garrett says Stefanski can't afford to lose the locker room. It's bad enough that the Browns are losing and having to afford Watson's contract, which continues to prove to be the worst deal in NFL history – especially after giving up three first-round picks and six overall picks to sign him.

Mike McCarthy is back!

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy appeared to be the first NFL coach to be fired this season after Dallas lost two straight home games after Week 3 and had a record of 1-2.

The Cowboys won ugly wins in Week 4 (20-15 vs. the New York Giants) and Week 5 (20-17 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers), and those are the kind of ugly wins Dallas needs to win to win this season to get into the playoffs.

McCarthy's demands in the Pittsburgh game – that quarterback Dak Prescott should find running back Rico Dowdle and receiver Jalen Tolbert for touchdowns in the fourth quarter – worked out in his favor.

The Cowboys are 3-2 and McCarthy has quelled some of the fire under his hot seat — for now.

But it's not time for McCarthy to settle down yet: Dallas hosts the Detroit Lions in Week 6 and visits the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8 – games that could determine how deep the Cowboys go this season advance.

It's time for a gut check in Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, Super Bowl contenders from three seasons ago, are both 1-4 after Week 5. But at least the Rams have a good excuse with star receivers Puka Nucua and Cooper Kupp injured.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow has his star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins together for the third straight season, but the Bengals are in a deep hole, missing the playoffs this season after a discouraging 38-41 Defeat may not be in sight for the Baltimore Ravens.

According to ESPN, only 5.6% of teams with a 1-4 start in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) have made the playoffs. So it's not out of the question. But the Bengals can't afford to shine on both offense and defense (they've allowed more than 38 points in two of the last three games).

Plain and simple: It's time for a gut check in Cincinnati. Bengals coach Zac Taylor is officially on the hot seat. And depending on how the rest of the season goes, Chase and/or Higgins could be a hot commodity at the trade deadline if Cincinnati wants to start thinking more about the future than the present.

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