The Cleveland Browns arrived in Jacksonville for their matchup with the Jaguars with a lot of optimism. There was the thought that the offensive line and skill players could elevate Deshaun Watson to a level that the team has not seen from him. Sadly, the end result could not have been further from that.
After the first quarter, it became clear it was going to be a long day for the Browns.
The Jaguars had their way with the Browns in every facet of the game, even in the discipline area with penalties. It was a matchup that could be forgotten or serve as a fire for this team heading into an already pivotal second week for the team.
With that wonderful stage set for fans to go back over this disaster, here are our report card grades.
Quarterbacks: D+
Deshaun Watson
salvaged some of his afternoon with a deep touchdown to Denzel Boston in the final minutes of the game. Beyond that, the game was one to forget for Watson. He lacked pocket awareness, mobility was spotty, and the decision-making was downright awful at times. It is going to be a long couple of weeks with their upcoming schedule.
Running Backs: C+
Quinshon Judkins had some productive carries but never quite factored into the offense they could've hoped for. Dylan Sampson was lost for the day with a knee injury, which made things a bit harder. One bright spot was a kick return by Raheim Sanders that set the Browns up for their first points of the game.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: B
Denzel Boston made some big plays, the biggest of the game for the Browns being their 42-yard touchdown in the final minutes. KC Concepcion also had some strong moments, but a critical fumble made this grade get knocked down a smidge. It was a big learning experience for them and the offense as a whole, but they showed flashes at these skill positions.
Offensive Line: B-
The rookies played well for most of their snaps, but the unit as a whole struggled to get much done in terms of either run or pass protection. They weren't a major factor in the loss, but they didn't help as much as they could have. Next week against the Bucs could be a major bounce-back, or that unit could also find itself after a tough Week 1 and make the Browns suffer a second straight week.
Defensive Line: D-
There was no pressure today, Trevor Lawrence had all day, and the end result was a long day for the Browns defense. That cannot be the case at all this year or in the coming weeks. If they cannot generate more pressure, the defense will have no chance to give the offense any chance to breathe. Jared Verse especially will need a bounce-back week, but it won't be easy against the Bucs' offensive line in Week 2.
Linebackers: C-
The linebackers did an okay job of containing the Jaguars' rushing game. They didn't provide much help in pass coverage, but when the defensive line couldn't get pressure and it extended their coverage time, there is only so much they can do.
Secondary: F
Trevor Lawrence had just five incompletions and four touchdowns on Sunday. That alone is a worse indictment of the secondary.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Report Card Grades from the Browns Week 1 loss to the Jaguars
