CLEVELAND ― The Browns’ second preseason game provided no further clarity on who should be their starting quarterback. As for who will be, well, that remains to be seen.
Shedeur Sanders started and was solid, save for one big mistake and a failed two-minute drive. Deshaun Watson came on to boos in the third quarter, looked, quite frankly, terrible in a little more than a quarter’s worth of action.
Oh yeah, the Buffalo Bills won the game played between mostly backups and bottom-of-the-roster players 31-7.
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The Browns have one more preseason game to go, Aug. 27 at home against the New England Patriots. They may have a starting quarterback named by that point, as coach Todd Monken indicated that to the team’s official radio pregame show.
Anyways, what were the immediate takeaways as the game reached its conclusion? Here’s four of them.
Shedeur Sanders does a solid job for most of his half
Sanders, if a decision is going to be coming after this weekend, made a strong final argument. He completed his first eight passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.
It wasn’t just the efficiency, it was the total package. He seemed to operate well in and out of the huddle, and the pre-snap penalties were kept at a minimum over his two quarters of work.
If there were any criticisms, it was an interception he threw to Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin that went off the hands of tight end Jermaine Terry. He also had a chance at a two-minute drill with 1:48 remaining, but couldn’t do anything with it.
Still, it was definitely a big step forward. Is it big enough to get him past Watson?
Deshaun Watson booed, bad in first home game since 2024
If Deshaun Watson was hoping to win over the home fans in his first game in Cleveland since tearing his Achilles in 2024, he didn’t accomplish that. In fact, he just reminded them of everything they didn’t like about the quarterback on the field.
Watson was greeted with boos when he entered the game to start the third quarter, and they only got louder as he completed just one of his first four passes for minus-1 yard. When he threw high and was intercepted, it was as loud as any boos on the day.
The veteran was 5-of-12 for 35 yards and a 14.6 passer rating. He ran twice for 13 yards.
The gap may be large enough that a few series with a bunch of backups won’t hurt Watson in the race. It will be interesting to see if they take the optics of it into account.
Mike Hall Jr. works at defensive end
Mike Hall Jr. moved out to defensive end to start the game, a new look for him this preseason. The Browns lost defensive end Alex Wright to an undisclosed injury for an undisclosed time during the joint practice.
Hall played reasonably well there during a pair of series. That included a sack of Buffalo’s Kyle Allen.
Does this become at least a temporary move to help the Browns’ defense? It’s something to watch.
Very few key players played for either team
One thing to take into context was the complete lack of regulars on either side to actually play beyond the two Browns’ quarterbacks. Rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston and second-year pro Isaiah Bond played, as did tight end Blake Whiteheart on offense.
As for the defense, Hall and linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold were the likely only two starters to play. Otherwise, most on defense were eventual backups or bottom of the depth chart.
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Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 4 things that stood out in Browns’ preseason game vs Bills
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Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
