CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns were defeated by the Bengals on Sunday, 21-14, but that’s just what the scoreboard said.
Here are the real winners and losers from the game:
Loser: Emotions
Cleveland’s second-quarter drive was going pretty good, until that split second when Deshaun Watson dropped back, attempted to move forward, and injured his Achilles.
The injury cart quickly rolled out, along with the entire Browns roster, and some Bengal members as well.
However, some fans in Browns gear around Huntington Bank Field seemed to voice their approval of Watson being injured.
The moment sparked viral social media posts of displayed happiness from Browns fans, while players, including Myles Garrett, took a different note to it.
“It was harder with the reaction that the fans gave. Whether it’s an opponent that goes down or one of our own, we don’t boo,” Garrett said. “We don’t boo the guys that are injured on the field, especially with the extent where the cart comes out.”
Jameis Winston would add to the dialogue regarding the moment and his time as Watson’s backup.
“I’m grateful that I had a chance to serve (QB) Deshaun (Watson), but I am very upset with the reaction to a man that has had the world against him for the past four years. And he put his body and life on the line for this city, every single day.”
The title of this section relates to those who cheered on the injury, whether present in the stadium, or watching from home.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is carted off the field with a leg injury in the firs half. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
In what state of mind is cheering on the injury of a player, let alone one of your own, a deserved reaction?
Unsure if there is such.
Numerous social media users have argued Watson’s injury is karma due to his off-the-field actions. Energy of that sort is above us all, only the universe is the decider. No one is morally higher than the person next to them.
If Watson’s play was up to par this season, and led to winning while legitimizing the deep contender talks from the offseason, the volume of outrage for his off-the-field actions would likely lower by each win.
All is well with the world for fans when their team is winning. Even with featured controversary, winning is placed on a higher pedestal compared to anything else.
The internet is free with loads of photos, videos, and social media posts celebrating Watson’s touchdowns on the field.
His first year in Cleveland, he scored his first rushing touchdown as a Brown in Week 16. Watson jumped right into the crowd and was caressed by fans in that moment.
This season, we’ve witnessed bad play from Watson, which gave a level of comfort for fans to air out their true feelings as the season continues to sink.
Winner: Nick Chubb
It was nice to see No. 24 make his return in the orange and brown.
You think about that night in Pittsburgh, the “oohs” in unison when they showed the replay of his injury on the jumbotron, Browns players becoming emotional when thinking about that moment.
So once Chubb published his article through the Players Tribune days before the game, which displayed that his comeback was nearing, it meant so much for the city to see him come back.
Mostly used in the first half, he took one more carry in the second half, then ended his Sunday with 11 carries for 22 yards and one touchdown.
On a fourth-and-goal with one yard needed to get into the end zone, Chubb spun his way past Cincinnati’s Sheldon Rankins to get in.
And as seen, it’ll take a second for Chubb, who had four consecutive 1,000 yard rushing seasons ahead of last season, to return back to that form. But his presence along with his known work ethic is enough to make the wait worth it.
Loser: Browns special teams
Maybe, just maybe, better play from this special teams unit could’ve changed the course of Sunday’s contest.
Instead, points were allowed and missed.
Jones took it back the other way for the 100 yards on the opening kickoff, making him the third player this NFL season to return a kickoff touchdown.
It wasn’t the best overall effort from Cleveland.
Jones was around 15-20 yards away from the end zone when Cleveland’s D’Anthony Bell and Tony Brown II caught up. Bell dove for Jones’ feet and missed, and Brown lunged for a tackle but didn’t complete it.
His touchdown was the only first-half points for Cincinnati.
Dustin Hopkins missed out on four points: a 49-yard missed field goal, and a missed extra-point.
There’s no guarantee it would’ve led to a win, but the missed opportunities surely lead to the what-if game.
Winner: The defensive front
It was a better showing for the engine that keeps the unit going.
The pressure from Cleveland’s defensive line was contagious and consistent, especially in the first half. Quarterback Joe Burrow looked anything but comfortable in the pocket, struggling to find an open target in time.
Burrow was sacked three times in the first half, and the offense recorded a total net of 86 yards during that period. The Bengals run game entered Week 7 ranked 26th in rushing yards (100.2), and Cleveland kept them to a little over half that (59) on Sunday.
Cincinnati’s offense eventually found its rhythm in the third period, scoring 14 points. But it was earned as Burrow adjusted to the pressure for quicker and better on-point throws.
“That’s a really, really good defense, the best one we have played all year,” Burrow said. “Their secondary is great, the rush is great, their linebackers play fast and physical. We know it’s going to be that kind of game.”
Loser: Flavor Flav
We should’ve expected a lopsided Sunday after this moment set the tone.
The other half of Public Enemy, the legendary hip-hop duo and 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, was present in the building as a Dawg Pound Captain for the Week 7 matchup.
Flav came out sporting a Jim Brown jersey and went straight to the guitar case to grab the guitar, in which he’d smash on the speakers.
Instead, it took a minute for the 65-year-old to complete the objective.
From fighting the power, to fighting the fatigue in the moment as he was just hoping the next swing would break the guitar to pieces.
Flav finally completed the guitar smash right in time for the opening kickoff, which Cincinnati’s Chris Jones would take back to the end zone.