The Cleveland Browns had a rough time in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The offense and defense both had a rough time in Pittsburgh and will now have to relinquish their lead in the AFC North to their biggest division rivals.
Deshaun Watson and the Browns' offense could never get much going in either the air or on the ground. What had helped Watson for weeks was his mobility, but they had him figured out in this matchup after Week 4. As for the Browns' defense, they were tasked with being on the field more than usual due to turnovers and long drives, which may have affected their gas tanks.
There is a lot to learn and adjust as they get ready for the New Orleans Saints in Week 9. Before then, we have some instant takeaways to share from
the loss.
Deshaun Watson showed he isn't sustainable
The box score is going to make things look great for Deshaun Watson. He had 324 passing yards and completed 69.2% of his passes, so what more could he have done? The passes he missed were big ones; placement and leading his receivers would have allowed for more scoring chances because, at the end of the day, they simply weren't getting any. Watson needs to be able to take this game and drag it across the finish line in more situations, and he has shown that outside of five quarters he cannot do that. He is not a sustainable option for the Browns at quarterback beyond 2026.
Jared Verse needs to make plays
Jared Verse talked a lot, and then some more, and then made one final walk around the field on Sunday warming up, trying to impose himself into things further. The end result of all of that was no tackles, no sacks, and no impact. He had some pressure, yes, but at some point he needs to make an impact on the run game and bring down the quarterback. This has nothing to do with the Myles Garrett trade or the Los Angeles Rams pick involved; the play Verse is putting on film is beyond nauseating at this point.
The season isn't lost
The Browns are no longer the kings of the AFC North, and that's okay. Be honest, what did you expect to happen this season? Most people would've been ecstatic with five wins in a year, so good news: you got that in eight weeks of the season. The New Orleans Saints are on tap for Week 9, so a bounce back is possible. They get a win, get ready for more AFC North games, and the season could easily be right back in their grip.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: 3 Instant takeaways from the Browns' loss to the Steelers
