In his first NFL game in nearly two years due to multiple Achilles injuries, Deshaun Watson struggled as the Cleveland Browns lost 34-10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Watson threw an interception on the opening drive and finished with five sacks while completing 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards. After the game, he defended his poor performance by stating that everyone makes mistakes and that it didn’t affect his confidence. Browns coach Todd Monken was hesitant to commit to Watson as the starter for the next game against the Buccaneers following this lackluster debut.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Deshaun Watson, 31, started his first NFL game since October 20, 2024, for the Cleveland Browns after suffering multiple Achilles injuries. In the opening drive against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he threw an interception from the Jaguars’ 28-yard line, which was caught by linebacker Foyesade Oluokun. This costly mistake set the stage for a 34-10 loss to Jacksonville.
Watson attempted to downplay his error, saying bad plays are common in football and praising Oluokun’s defensive play. He added that he wasn’t deterred from moving forward but noted the team failed to capitalize on subsequent drives. The poor performance will likely deepen concerns among Browns fans about Watson's return from injury.
Written for “Deshaun Watson Controversy” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 8992 · logged 2026-09-14
Deshaun Watson started a football game on Sunday for the first time in nearly two years, and it went as poorly as many expected.
asserted
many → start → years
The 31-year-old Browns quarterback, who hadn’t played since Oct. 20, 2024 after tearing (and re-tearing) his Achilles, threw an ugly interception from the Jaguars’ 28-yard line on Cleveland’s opening drive, setting the tone for a 34-10 Jacksonville victory.
asserted
who → play → victory
Watson, who didn’t appear to see Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun sitting right in the middle of the field, offered a defense of his poor play that won’t exactly ease Browns fans’ concerns.
asserted
that → appear → concerns
“Bad plays are going to happen all the time,” Watson told reporters after the game.
asserted
Watson → go → game
“You look all around the league, everyone throws interceptions, everyone makes bad plays.
asserted
everyone → look → plays
And you’ve got to give the defense credit.
asserted
you → get → credit
[Oluokun] made a good play on that.
asserted
Oluokun → make → that
Even though I got knocked off my platform a little bit, I thought I got it over him and he reached up and grabbed it.
asserted
he → knock → it
“You’ve got to move on to the next play and try to move forward and try to put something positive on the next drive, and we weren’t able to do that.
asserted
we → get → that
It didn’t really bother up my confidence.”
asserted
It → bother → confidence
The Jaguars scored a touchdown off the interception and were off to the races, taking a 24-0 lead by halftime.
asserted
Jaguars → score → halftime
After the interception, the Browns went three-and-out twice.
asserted
Browns → go → three
First-round rookie receiver KC Concepcion then lost a fumble on the second play of Cleveland’s fourth possession.
asserted
Concepcion → lose → possession
Watson threw a garbage-time 46-yard touychdown to second-round rookie Denzel Boston and finished 16-for-22 with 205 yards while taking five sacks, adding six rushes for 38 yards.
asserted
Watson → throw → yards
When first-year head coach Todd Monken named Watson the starter over Shedeur Sanders before the season, he said this was “not a week-to-week decision.”
asserted
this → name → week
However, after the loss he was noncommittal about Watson starting next Sunday’s road game against the Buccaneers.
asserted
Watson → start → Buccaneers
