feature-image

Imago

feature-image

Imago

Deshaun Watson finally gave Cleveland Browns fans something to cheer about at training camp. The veteran quarterback completed 17 of 20 passes, threw seven touchdowns, and didn’t record a single interception during Wednesday’s practice. But while those numbers grabbed attention, Pat McAfee came away talking about someone else entirely.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

“Cleveland Dog Pound? [It’s] more like [there’s] a bunch of puppies on it,” McAfee said on his show of the team’s defense, which allowed an embarrassing 11 touchdowns that day.

ADVERTISEMENT

Yes, eleven total touchdowns. Watson led the charge with seven, while Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel each scored two. Sanders also threw the lone interception in this practice.

“Seven touchdowns? Zero interceptions? Guy hasn’t played football in ten years!” McAfee added. “… Seven touchdowns? DeShaun Watson’s killing this defense!”

Get The Huddle Newsletter. The day's biggest NFL stories — rivalries, matchups, expert analysis, power rankings, and insider draft news.

ADVERTISEMENT

article-image

Imago

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is gone, and the Browns now have a different voice running the defense – a fact also pointed out by the show. McAfee remarked that the team “[didn’t] want the defense to be good.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Schwartz infamously left the building after the Browns told him Todd Monken would be hired as head coach. Schwartz spent the last three seasons building that unit around a physical front, even though Cleveland has struggled defensively. Last season, the Browns allowed 298.6 yards per game.

Oh, and Browns fans will be sorely missing Myles Garrett, one of the few good things about the team’s defense.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to Akron Beach Journal’s Chris Easterling, the top tackles in Cleveland’s defense were out injured on Day 8 of training camp. Reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger, was also among them. On Wednesday and Thursday, UDFA signee Tyreak Sapp and Year 2 tackle Adin Huntington took reps with the starter, The Athletic’s Zac Jackson reported.

However, Wednesday’s showing was the only session in which Watson had a good day. The defense has reportedly come up stronger now and has been strong throughout training camp. Jackson claimed that the defense “dominating” despite missing starters was what is “really concerning” for the team.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the latest practice, Cleveland’s defense racked up 11 interceptions. It looks like the unit has made up for Wednesday’s numbers.

It is actually Shedeur Sanders who has been performing well in training camp, and not Watson. In the first week, the latter had thrown only three touchdowns, but was picked off six times. Sanders, however, had four scores and one interception.

ADVERTISEMENT

The defense might have had one bad day, but it is still keeping the offense on its toes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Farheen Fathima

29 Articles

Farheen Fathima is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports, bringing fans the latest from around the league. She has spent over two years working in digital content and SEO writing across different industries, building a strong foundation in fast, accurate reporting under tight deadlines. Her love for football, developed through years of closely following the game, is what drew her toward sports writing. At EssentiallySports, she focuses on covering the day-to-day developments within the league, keeping fans updated as stories unfold in real time.

Know more

ADVERTISEMENT