Browns, Watson were bad, but now what?

Well, that was bad.No matter how concerned you were about the Browns, no matter how much doubt you had in Deshaun Watson at quarterback and no matter how awful the team looked in the preseason, what happened Sunday was hard to foresee.Cowboys 33, Browns 17.But it wasn't that close. Cleveland added a purely cosmetic touchdown in the fourth quarter to make the final look more competitive.There have been some bad season openers in this franchise's history, but Sunday's game was probably the worst I have ever seen.Yes, the Browns were blown out, 43-0 by the Steelers in 1999, but that team – an expansion team – had a good excuse.The players, the coaching staff, the organization, have no excuse for what happened Sunday.It was so bad that I considered scrubbing the column this week and starting over next week. Maybe I could substitute this football column with one of my music ones.I'm thinking "The Fine Young Cannibals: What Went Wrong?"But, no, we need to talk about this football team.It's difficult to isolate one thing the Browns did well yesterday. The Cowboys outclassed them in every aspect of the game. The defense was frequently burned by its aggressiveness. The special teams gave up a punt return for a touchdown.The offensive line looked battered and overwhelmed.But really, the game – and the general concern over the loss – boils down to Watson.The franchise quarterback, the man who the Browns spent three first-round draft picks and $230 million on, was flat-out terrible against Dallas. Most of his deep throws were airmailed. He was sacked six times and he was intercepted twice.It was an ugly performance. There was nothing positive about it.I'd love to know what the Browns are thinking right now.Not what they're saying. At this point in the season – and at this point in Watson's contract – coach Kevin Stefanski, general manager Andrew Berry and owner Jimmy Haslam aren't likely to do anything but repeat that they still have faith in their investment. But you have to wonder. This is Year 3 of the Watson Era. The trade with the Texans has been an absolute disaster. And while Watson was running for his life and throwing the ball out of bounds Sunday, Baker Mayfield (the quarterback Cleveland dismissed so it could get Watson) looked like a star in Tampa Bay against the Commanders.Personally, I'm tired of the Mayfield/Watson comparisons. Mayfield hasn't played for the Browns since 2021 and nearly got run out of the league in 2022.I don't think it was going to work in Cleveland, at least not with Stefanski and his staff.But as much as I don't like those discussions, they are inevitable.I never wanted Watson, but that was because of his off-the-field troubles. There was no doubt in my mind he was a major upgrade at the most important position in sports.He was a great quarterback for the Texans.He's been a bad player for the Browns.No matter what they say publicly, the people inside the franchise's offices in Berea know this.I'm sure there's regret about the move. But there also has to be a question, and that question will get louder every time Watson plays like he did Sunday:"What can we do now?"NEXT WEEK: The Browns have never started 0-2 under Stefanski, and the franchise hasn't started 0-2 since the 2017 campaign.That was when the Browns finished 0-16.If nothing else, I'm sure they won't finish 0-16 this season. For one thing, there are 17 games now.But for another, it's difficult to believe this team is as bad as it looked against Dallas.Cleveland travels to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars this Sunday. The Jags have been inconsistent in recent years, and blew a sizable lead in a Week 1 loss to the Dolphins.I don't expect a pretty game, but I do expect Cleveland to regroup and play better.It has to.MY PICK: Browns 20, Jaguars 17. Zach Baker is the sports editor of The Courier and Review Times.