The Cleveland Browns are 1-2 and Deshaun Watson's poor play through three games is a pretty big reason why. The Browns' latest loss was to a previously winless team with a pretty lousy quarterback situation as well, but that didn't stop the New York Giants from winning in Cleveland against a team that made the playoffs a season ago.

Watson was terrible in the game, but at this point, that's not breaking news for Browns fans. He threw for 192 yards (a season-high) and two touchdowns (also a season-high) with zero interceptions but continued to not get the job done. He was brought to Cleveland to help the team win, and he's not doing that. Not only that, but he's performing horribly.

Well, to throw salt on the wound here, only one quarterback in the NFL has a worse QB rating than Watson. It's not Daniel Jones, who the Browns defense struggled to stop on Sunday. It's also not Wil Levis, who is quarterbacking the 0-3 Titans and making countless mistakes.

Want a hint? This player was recently benched. If you guessed Bryce Young, you got it! According to Seth Walder of ESPN Analytics, Watson's QBR (quarterback rating) is only better than one qualifying quarterback and that quarterback is Bryce Young, who was benched after two miserable performances.

Deshaun Watson has a QBR of 23.2 this season, better than only one other qualifier -- Bryce Young.

For those not fully aware of the Young situation, I'll break it down for you. Young was the number one overall pick by the Panthers in 2023 and started all but one game for them as a rookie. He won just two games as a rookie, but many pointed to the dysfunction of the Panthers and the lack of talent surrounding him for the reasons he didn't play well.

Well, after Young started the year with back-to-back dreadful performances, Panthers head coach Dave Canales benched the former first overall pick and fellow AFC North resident Andy Dalton took over as the starter. The Panthers proceeded to blow out the Raiders.

So, to sum up, Deshaun Watson has only been better than a quarterback who was benched after two games and whose team is better off without him starting. Not good.

The Browns sunk a lot of money into Watson, and it hasn't panned out. Getting out of the contract wouldn't be an easy move, as the Browns would be on the hook for nearly $100 million, according to CBS Sports. That being said, the Browns can make the decision to move him to the bench and try to start winning games with Jameis Winston.

Yes, the offensive line injuries would make it difficult for anyone playing quarterback in Cleveland, but Watson doesn't help himself there by holding onto the ball for too long. He also misses wide-open players and while he didn't turn the ball over on Sunday, he typically does.

It's high past time for the Browns to bench Watson, and this latest revelation doesn't help their case in continuing to start him.

Deshaun Watson's Struggles: A Deeper Look

The Browns switched coordinators during the offseason to rebuild their offense so it better suited quarterback Deshaun Watson. After three games, there are no detectable signs of progress. In fact, Cleveland’s offense lacks imagination, an identity, or any real consistency, unless you count Watson taking a weekly pounding due to a lack of pocket protection and his seeming inability to recognize coverages. With more run-pass options (RPOs), shotgun formations, and multiple-wide receiver packages, the offense was supposed to operate better, not worse. It was supposed to complement Watson’s skill set, not stifle it. The Browns have scored 17, 18, and 15 points, respectively, in their three games. They’re averaging 248 total yards, with only New England getting fewer.

It’s still early, and coach Kevin Stefanski has stressed patience. But there are reasons to believe things may not improve any time soon. Let’s start with Watson. While he’s made some strong throws, and he doesn’t appear to be limited by his surgically repaired shoulder, his accuracy and timing are off, and he’s not completing any deep balls. Watson’s longest completion in Sunday’s 21-15 loss to the New York Giants came on his first throw.

More troubling, Watson was sacked eight times, took 17 other hits, and spent most of the afternoon scrambling for safety. Through three games, Watson has been sacked a league-high 16 times, and the blitzes will keep coming until the Browns show they can stop them. Some of it’s his fault for holding the ball too long. Some of it’s on an offensive line that’s now ravaged by injuries. And some of the blame has to go to Stefanski, first-year coordinator Ken Dorsey, and their play design.

“It’s everybody,” Stefanski said Monday. “It’s from myself, the coaches, the offensive line, tight ends, running backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks. It’s everybody. And everybody has a job to do in order to keep the quarterback clean.”

The Browns' Offensive Woes

The Browns' offense isn't just struggling because of Watson's play. The running game is stuck in neutral. Cleveland couldn’t get anything going on the ground in the first half, and the offensive line’s inability to get any push or open holes, coupled with playing from behind, prevented Stefanski from committing to the run.

Making matters worse, the Browns are without Pro Bowl tight end David Njoku, who missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle. He’s arguably the team’s top playmaker, Watson’s security blanket, and a weapon Stefanski loves to deploy. Njoku can’t be counted on to save Cleveland’s offense. But someone had better — soon.

A Look at the Stats

Deshaun Watson has been both sacked and pressured more than any quarterback in the NFL through the first three weeks of the season. Allowing 16 sacks and 57 pressures this season, not only has the Browns offense averaged just under 17 points per game, but they've also had issues protecting the quarterback. In Sunday's 21-15 loss to the Giants, Watson was sacked a career-high eight times and hit an additional nine times.

Even before starting LT Jedrick Wills Jr., starting RG Wyatt Teller, and T James Hudson III left with injuries in the second half, Watson was brought down five times as the Giants blitzed for a majority of passing plays.

Stefanski wasn't interested in assigning blame when asked whether the high sack total was the fault of the offensive line or the quarterback they were protecting.

“When you're talking about protection, it's everybody,” Stefanski said. “It's from myself, the coaches, the offensive line, tight ends, running backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks. Everybody has a job to do in order to keep the quarterback clean. So, I got to do my part. It's no secret we can't let him get hit that many times. That's not good enough and that will get fixed.”

Moving Forward

While the Browns have a lot of work to do, they can still turn things around. Watson needs to improve his play, and the offensive line needs to get healthy. If the Browns can do those two things, they will be able to compete in the AFC North.

However, if things don't improve, the Browns might be forced to make a difficult decision about Watson's future with the team.

But for now, the Browns are focused on the next game. They will have a chance to get back on track in Week 4 on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Game To Watch: Browns vs. Raiders

The Browns' Week 4 matchup against the Raiders will be a crucial game for both teams. The Raiders are also looking to turn their season around after a disappointing start.

The game will be a chance for the Browns to prove that they are a real contender in the AFC West, and it will be a chance for Watson to show that he is still the player that the Browns believed they were getting when they traded for him.

The Browns need to find a way to protect Watson and get the running game going. If they can do those two things, they will be in good shape to make a run at the playoffs.

But if they can't, the Browns could be in for a long season.