Grading the Cleveland Browns offense against the Ravens in Week 4

Quarterback

Saying that Dorian Thompson-Robinson was placed in a tough spot completely undersells the position that the rookie quarterback found himself in on Sunday. Getting your first start against a division rival on only a couple of hours' notice is a recipe for disaster.

It should be prefaced that DTR took all the first team practice reps during the week leading up to the game, but up until the morning of the game the assumption of the coaching staff was that Watson would suit up. The game plan for Sunday mirrored the coaching staff’s assumption.

Regardless of the game plan, it was quickly apparent that DTR was not ready for the moment. The game was happening too fast for the rookie, and his reactions to the chaos around him were way too slow to allow him any success. DTR was late to his reads and even later to deliver the ball to his would-be pass catchers.

DTR placed the ball in danger several times, with three of his passes resulting in interceptions. There were four separate turnover worthy throws that the Ravens just failed to take advantage of. Overall, it was a brutal debut for Thompson-Robinson, but hopefully it can prove to be a learning lesson that does not stunt the rookie’s development.

Being ready is the gig for the backup quarterback, but the real question is if DTR was ready to be the backup quarterback when the Browns traded Josh Dobbs away to the Arizona Cardinals. But that's a question best suited for a different article.

Quarterback grade for Week 4: D-