The Todd Monken era started out with a bang — just not the one the fans expected. They couldn't get anything going on offense against the Jacksonville Jaguars, dropping their first game of the season 34-10.
Liam Coen's team was better in every aspect of the game, and it didn't take long before Deshaun Watson reminded everyone why the fans weren't exactly thrilled to have him back under center.
But even in the worst moments, there might be a reason for hope.
While it's hard to say anything positive about the team after such a tough blowout, some guys stood out from the rest of the pack. Let's talk winners and losers of Week 1 and move on to the next one.
The Cleveland Browns' ugly opener offered a few bright spots amid plenty of disappointment
Winner No. 1
Carson Schwesinger
This was a rough outing for the defense overall, but it was nice to see the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year back out there. He didn't seem to miss a beat after sitting out most of the offseason with a lower-body injury.
Schwesinger finished the game with three solo tackles and a team-leading 10 total. He was his usual active self and prevented what could have been at least a couple of explosive runs by Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten.
Again, the defense didn't look good at all, but we'll pretty much take anything at this point.
Loser No. 1
Deshaun Watson
What can we say about Deshaun Watson that isn't public knowledge or has been said endlessly already? This went exactly how everyone thought it would. It was ugly, but was it really surprising? That has been the entire Deshaun Watson experience from the second he set foot in the building.
Watson and the Browns actually had a little something going on the game's first drive, but he killed all the momentum with a mind-numbing interception. He took five sacks — several of which were on him — and failed to find his receivers in stride. He missed multiple throwing windows and looked sloppy and hesitant in the pocket.
Again, nothing new.
Winner No. 2
KC Concepcion
This might be a bit of a hot take, given that he lost a fumble trying to fight for extra yardage. But that's exactly why he's listed here. The rookie licked his wounds, got back on his feet, and showed the short memory stars must have in this league to succeed after a mistake.
More than that, Monken honored his promise of getting Concepcion involved. He returned one punt, got three carries, and hauled in four receptions on five targets. The Browns moved him all over the field, and even with the giveaway, it was a solid debut for the rookie first-rounder.
Loser No. 2
Zion Johnson
Zion Johnson's debut with the Browns only confirmed the concerns when he signed a $49.5 million contract in March. He was a bit of a revolving door on the interior of the offensive line and struggled with timing, logging two penalties on one drive.
To add insult to injury, he took a pretty big hit to the knee and had to be helped off the field. He returned after a brief absence, but this was the type of sloppy performance that often drove Chargers fans nuts.
Winner No. 3
Raheim Sanders
With Dylan Sampson missing most of the game with an injury, Raheim Sanders made the most of every touch. He filled Sampson's passing-catching role well, showing some shiftiness and explosiveness in the open field.
While he only logged one carry for 1 yard, Sanders had 25 receiving yards on three receptions in as many targets. He also returned three kicks for 130 yards, including a 74-yard explosion the Browns couldn't maximize with a touchdown.
Loser No. 3
Quinshon Judkins
Unsurprisingly, the Browns couldn't get much going on the ground in this one. Monken had to abandon the run with such a big early deficit — the Jaguars led 31-0 early in the third quarter — and it's not like the new-look offensive line was doing much to help the cause, either.
As a result, Judkins only managed to turn 12 carries into 33 rushing yards, a pedestrian 2.8 yards per attempt. None of his totes went for more than 5 yards. As talented as Judkins is, the sledding could continue to be tough as long as Watson is in at quarterback.
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