From the moment Cleveland Browns fans knew Deshaun Watson would be the starting quarterback, all hope of making a surprise playoff run vanished. However, there were still reasons for excitement.
If this was always going to be a developmental season, all eyes should be on the rookies.
Overreacting to just one game is unfair, which is why some of the criticism around Spencer Fano's debut should be taken with a grain of salt. The rookie first-round pick had an up-and-down game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but context matters. He was thrown into a brutal situation.
For starters, it was a true baptism by fire for Fano, lining up against a star like Josh Hines-Allen. More than that, Watson never gave him — or any Browns offensive linemen, for that matter — a chance in this one.
Spencer Fano's Week 1 struggles shouldn't change the Browns' long-term outlook
Per Browns analyst Angel Ortiz, Fano gave up two pressures, one sack, a 15.38 percent pressure rate, a 7.69 percent sack rate, one forced fumble, and logged a 2.95-second average time to pressure.
Pro Football Focus had different numbers but a pretty similar assessment. PFF credited him with three pressures, zero sacks, and gave him a 58.8 overall grade (54.9 run-blocking, 59.8 pass-blocking).
Still, it's hard to do much when your quarterback lines up in the shotgun and proceeds to drop back even farther. Watson's sloppy feet and tendency to panic under pressure make it all but impossible for linemen to reset and give him a clean pocket.
Fano did get beat for a sack, and he looked gassed at times in the Florida heat. That will happen. All rookies go through growing pains, and Fano got a tough matchup to get his career started.
Blowout losses are all about finding silver linings, learning experiences, and seeing the glass half-full. Considering that, playing left tackle for Watson could be a blessing in disguise for the rookie out of Utah. If he can set a clean pocket for this quarterback, he should be able to thrive in almost any situation.
Fano won't have an easier matchup in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but at least he'll get to go against a fellow rookie in Rueben Bain Jr. The table is set for a bounce-back performance.
Fano has already shown enough promise to be given the benefit of the doubt. It's not like the Browns have a better option on the roster anyway.
Whatever the case, Watson's play will either be Fano's downfall or a crash course to become one of the best left tackles in the game.
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