The Cleveland Browns have suffered a major blow to their season with the news that quarterback Deshaun Watson has been ruled out for the remainder of the year due to a torn ACL. Watson was acquired in the offseason from the Houston Texans and was expected to provide a spark to the Browns’ offense.
Watson had been playing well for the Browns, throwing for 1,677 yards and 13 touchdowns in eight games. He had also rushed for another two touchdowns and had a passer rating of 101.1. His absence will be a major blow to the team’s chances of making the playoffs this season.
The Browns will now have to turn to veteran quarterback Case Keenum to lead the offense. Keenum has been in the league since 2012 and has played for five different teams. He has a career passer rating of 84.2 and has thrown for over 20,000 yards and 118 touchdowns.
The Browns will also have to rely on their running game more heavily with Watson out. Nick Chubb has been one of the best running backs in the league this season, rushing for 803 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games. The team will also need to rely on their defense, which has been one of the best in the league this season.
The loss of Watson is a major setback for the Browns, but they still have a chance to make the playoffs this season. They will need to rely on Keenum and their running game to lead the offense, while their defense will need to continue to play at a high level. It will be an uphill battle, but if they can stay focused and execute they still have a chance to make some noise in the playoffs this year.