Not even a full 72 hours after the Cleveland Browns’ largest win of the 2023 season, we anticipate that have been on the rise crashed proper into the face of Brownie the Elf within the midfield of their house stadium.
Deshaun Watson, who has struggled with accidents this season, has been dominated out for the remainder of the 12 months with one fracture in his throwing shoulder. If solely the Browns had a quarterback like Josh Dobbs to take over and probably lead the crew to the playoffs…
Sadly for the Browns, they’ve determined to chop Dobbs from their roster twice within the final two years. In 2022, he was Jacoby Brissett’s backup whereas Watson served his NFL-issued suspension for serial sexual misconduct. As soon as Watson was eligible to play, the Browns minimize Dobbs.
In March, they re-signed Dobbs to a one-year contract price $2 million. He had two respectable begins for the Tennessee titans on the finish of the 2022 season. With Kyler Murray unavailable till mid-season, the Arizona Cardinals took a shot and purchased Dobbs from the Browns for a 2024 fifth-round draft choose.
Dobbs took a star flip in his seventh NFL season. He’s at present beginning for the Minnesota Vikings – his fifth completely different crew since November 2022. They’ve received each video games through which he was on the roster, and the Browns need to hope that rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson or PJ Walker can lead the crew with the perfect protection within the NFL into the play- offs. They’re go together with Thompson-Robinson on Sunday.
There is no such thing as a method for NFL groups to plan for his or her beginning quarterback to overlook most of a season. The aim groups normally have for a backup quarterback is for him to maintain the offense going for just a few weeks whereas the starter heals. In 2019, Patrick Mahomes missed two video games for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs with a dislocated patella. Matt Moore stepped in and the Chiefs went 1-1 en path to the franchise’s first Tremendous Bowl championship in 50 years.
Watson has battled accidents all season, and even when wholesome, Dobbs has largely outplayed him. Dobbs has a greater general QBR, has thrown only one extra interception than Watson regardless of taking part in in 4 extra video games than him, and is a severe dashing menace with 62 rush makes an attempt – practically 40 greater than Watson.
The Browns’ Week 10 win towards the Baltimore Ravens was most likely Watson’s finest sport since signing that five-year, absolutely assured contract. He handed for 213 yards and a landing, and his 16-yard scramble within the fourth quarter was the largest play of their successful drive.
Dobbs has solely been on the Vikings’ roster since October 31. In Week 10, he handed for extra yards and did not flip the ball over, whereas Watson opened the sport with a pick-six, had a greater completion proportion and averaged extra yards per cross try.
With eight weeks left within the common season, each the Vikings and Browns are at present within the playoffs. Nonetheless, Minnesota has a agency grip on its wild card spot, whereas Cleveland groups just like the Cincinnati Bengals And Buffalo Payments.
Turning down the Cardinals’ fifth-round choose in change for Dobbs would have been powerful for Cleveland. That is precious draft capital for a participant the Browns did not even anticipate to win the on-field season. Nonetheless, simply hours earlier than the commerce, head coach Kevin Stefanski had introduced that Dobbs had received the backup job over Walker and Thompson-Robinson.
Dobbs had clearly impressed the teaching employees over the previous two seasons. This season, with little time to be taught two new offenses, he has been capable of play some first rate soccer. If the Browns nonetheless had Dobbs, their prospects for the remainder of the season could be a lot better than they’re now.
