The Cleveland Browns' season debut didn't go as planned. They couldn't get much going on either side of the ball, and you know things are bad when the opposing team pulls its starting quarterback early in the fourth quarter.
Todd Monken's debut raised more questions than answers. And while there are clearly some very talented young players on the team, the main concerns are even more glaring.
Fortunately, most of them can be solved.
With Week 1 in the rearview mirror and a road date with Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers up next, there's clearly plenty of work to do. It all starts by answering these four burning questions.
Browns need answers at quarterback and pass rush after Week 1 disaster
1. How to get Denzel Boston going?
Boston led the team with 59 receiving yards and hauled in Deshaun Watson's lone touchdown pass of the game. However, it was a mostly quiet afternoon for the Browns' second-round rookie. He had one catch for 13 yards before that garbage-time score.
The Browns need to feed their playmakers. Boston was tied for second on the team in targets (4), but that might not be enough going forward. Cleveland only gained five first downs in the first half and 14 total for the game, and Boston may already be the team's best receiver.
Watson will inevitably handicap the passing game, but getting the ball to Boston more should be a priority going forward.
2. How to replace Myles Garrett's production?
There's no such thing as replacing Myles Garrett, and the Browns clearly missed him in the season opener. As stacked as the defense is, it didn't look the part by giving up 360 total yards and a whopping 34 points to Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Defensive tackle Mason Graham looked better as an interior pass rusher and even logged his first career solo sack. Other than that, the defensive line left plenty to be desired in the opener, with Jared Verse logging only three total tackles.
The Browns' depth at defensive end has been a concern for weeks now, and with Alex Wright out for the season, it'll be up to Verse to do most of the heavy lifting and prove just why the Browns were so adamant about getting him in the Garrett trade.
3. How to stop committing unforced penalties?
Penalties often derailed Kevin Stefanski's offense. Unfortunately, that continues to haunt this team, even with Todd Monken now calling the shots.
The Browns were called for 11 penalties on Sunday, resulting in a loss of 75 yards. That should improve as their brand-new offensive line gets more reps together, but it was simply unacceptable.
Cleveland already has enough trouble moving the chains, so constantly moving backwards is a major problem. The Browns were constantly behind the sticks and wound up going 1-for-8 on third down.
4. How long a leash will Deshaun Watson get?
Against all logic and common sense, the Browns appointed Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback on Aug. 24. He needed only one drive to prove why that could be a season-derailing mistake.
Watson threw a mind-boggling interception after a strong start to the drive, and he finished the game with 16 completions for 202 yards, one touchdown, and one pick. However, 46 of those yards came on Boston's touchdown inside the final two minutes of a blowout loss.
While Watson clearly wanted to prove that he's regained some of his mobility following two torn Achilles tendons, he missed some easy throwing windows and at times took off to scramble out of desperation. How long will this flawed experiment continue? One can only wonder.
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