The 2023 Cleveland Browns experienced playoff action as a Wild Card contender. However, General Manager Andrew Berry stressed the team’s aim to win the division and host playoff games. Quarterback Deshaun Watson, recovering from shoulder surgery, seeks guidance to contribute to achieving this objective in 2024.
It sounds like Watson and his co-host Quincy Avery had an insightful conversation with Ryan Clark on the QB Unplugged Podcast about the challenges of winning the AFC North. Clark’s perspective as a retired Steelers safety and ESPN analyst likely provided valuable insights into the competitive nature of the division, despite its evolution over time.
“Don’t push through injuries to play in the fourth quarter; if you don’t perform well, you won’t win. Physicality is crucial in our division, especially with outstanding rushers like Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Trey Hendrickson, and Justin Madubuike all over the place.”
Clark’s assertion holds true; the AFC North is renowned for its physical nature. Many associated with the Browns, Steelers, Ravens, or Bengals identify “AFC North football” with robust defense and a focus on running the ball.
During the recent season, the Browns quarterback demonstrated his ability to endure the physical demands of the game, especially against division rivals. In his last match of the season, Watson orchestrated a remarkable 14-point comeback against the Ravens. He completed all 14 of his passes for 134 yards and a touchdown in the second half, securing a 33-31 victory. Just two days later, it came to light that he had played most of the game with a fractured glenoid in his throwing shoulder. Despite his season ending prematurely, Watson’s resilience was evident throughout.
“The quarterbacks nowadays are really skilled,” he remarked. “I believe that’s why Pittsburgh is facing challenges because if you look at it, when you draft someone like Kenny [Pickett], he needs to perform at a higher level because he’ll be up against Lamar [Jackson], Joe [Burrow], and Deshaun twice each season. It wasn’t like that in my time. We had Ben [Roethlisberger], who was the top quarterback in the division for a long time. Then Joe [Flacco] came along, facing off against Carson [Palmer] and Andy [Dalton] for a while. Cleveland, on the other hand, had a constant stream of subpar players.”
To put it differently, during Clark’s tenure from 2006-2013, the Browns struggled with their quarterbacks compared to their division rivals. Interestingly, the situation has reversed a decade later, with Clark’s Steelers now trying to catch up in the quarterback position.
Watson witnessed firsthand, despite being injured, the intense competition within the AFC North this previous season. The Browns, along with Baltimore and Pittsburgh, were among the three teams from the division to qualify for the playoffs. Additionally, the Bengals ended the season with a record above .500, representing the first instance since the merger where every team in a division had a winning record.
The upcoming 2024 season promises to be just as challenging, especially with Burrow returning from his own injury and Jackson fresh off an MVP season. Fortunately, Watson can rely on Clark’s guidance as a fallback option for the next season.
