Deshaun Watson backs Kevin Stefanski as Browns play-caller, says he blocks noise over play

BEREA — Deshaun Watson's head coach has given him a vote of confidence multiple times since the Browns loss at the Washington Commanders last Sunday. The quarterback, in turn, gave Kevin Stefanski a similar vote on Wednesday when it came to calling the plays.

"We believe in Kevin," Watson said Wednesday. "Kevin's been doing play calls for multiple years in his league. Two-time head coach [of the year] while doing the play calling. So there's no faith or love lost in Kevin calling plays. We think he's the best player caller in the league.

"So, at the same time as overall and as the leader of this offense, I got to make sure everybody's around so we can execute those plays that he's calling so we can show that he is that guy that we believe in and that the world and that the NFL world knows that he's one of the best play callers in this game."

The question about Stefanski calling plays, or continuing to call plays, has been one of the big narratives to emerge as the Browns offense continues what has been a season-long malaise. The offense has posted one of the worst starts in recent memory, not just for Cleveland, but the entire NFL.

The Browns head to Philadelphia on Sunday to face the Eagles with an offense that ranks 27th or lower in practically every major statistical category, including 32nd in total yards and third-down percentage and 30th in points per game and passing yards per game. Although Stefanski's play-calling has come under fire from some corners, it's Watson who's been the face of that anemic attack.

"First off, I don't hear it, I don't see it," Watson said of the outside criticism. "So I'm not on Twitter, I'm not on any social media or things like that. So anytime that stuff comes up, the only time I first hear it is either you guys are bringing it up or somebody else outside and I just don't know who it's coming from. … So, yeah, I mean, for the outside people and the media, yeah, it might be loud, but for myself I got to make sure I'm locked in and trying to do whatever I can to get all of us on the same page to play winning football."

Watson can say whatever he wants about hearing or not hearing the noise. The issue comes to playing "winning football," which is not what he's done as statistics bear out. He is ranked 26th or lower in the league in completion percentage, yards, passer rating, yards per attempt and touchdown percentage.

Stefanski said Wednesday he never debated making a quarterback change, either during the Washington game or heading into the Philadelphia game. That was the third time he's stood behind Watson as the starter, the other times being both immediately after Sunday's game as well as the day after.

Watson was 15-of-28 passing for 125 yards with a touchdown and a 77.2 passer rating, while being sacked seven times, against the Commanders. As has been the case through multiple games this season, that performance included multiple plays he missed open receivers and ended up taking sacks.

There was a first-and-goal play from the Washington 8, where Watson missed a wide-open Jerry Jeudy and ended up taking a sack. The next play, he did throw it to Jeudy in the end zone, but the wide receiver dropped the pass, one of 13 drops this season — second most in the NFL — by the Browns, according to Pro Football Focus.

"I thought I was open," Jeudy said. "I threw my hands up so he could see me. I know there was a lot of stuff going on in the back, so he probably couldn't see me. So, yeah, I just did what I had to do for real."

On another play later in the third quarter from the Washington 41, Jeudy broke open on a deep crossing pattern, while Elijah Moore was running a shallow crossing pattern. Watson held onto the ball so long he ran into Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner when he finally did take off running.

Wagner knocked the ball free and linebacker Frankie Luvu recovered. Washington turned it into its final three points and a 34-6 lead.

"I mean, at this position, no one's perfect," Watson said. "No one's going to always make the right read, so you can nick and pick one play here and there, but I think it's the body of work of the whole game. And I think that for me to be able to lead this offense to where we want to go and what we expect is just making sure that each and every play is within itself and not try to get the 21 points — I can't remember how much we're down by — but try to get all of it back at once, doing too much.

"I take full responsibility of that. There's going to be plays that happen like that. Every quarterback has that."

The problem for the Browns is Watson has had a number of those plays. There was a rational explanation for that in Watson's first start against the Dallas Cowboys, considering the shoulder surgery he underwent last Nov. 20 and the lack of any preseason game action.

However, with the season already at the quarter pole, that's hard to swallow as the long-term reasoning for the indecisiveness and lack of pocket awareness that has befallen Watson often this season. He was asked about what his own self-assessment has uncovered as far as where he's come up short of what he would consider the standard.

"I mean, just overall, just leading this whole offense," Watson said. "I think everything just got to mesh in place at the right time and things got to be in the same pace. I feel like there's been opportunities for us to be able to play winning football and hit the open guy, maybe there was one or two things that were kind of off track that didn't capitalize and we didn't capitalize on that.

"And then there's been some times where as a quarterback and misreading some things or second-guessing some things, but at the same time I think that's part of just getting the reps and part of watching film and trying to find ways to get better each and every week."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Deshaun Watson backs Kevin Stefanski as Browns play-caller, says he blocks noise over play