3 NFL QBs who deserve to be benched after Week 16
CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 24: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the second half in the game against the New Orleans Saints at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
There were some strong quarterback performances in Week 16. Here are three who played their way to the bench.
It would be hard for the NFL to top the craziness that took place in Week 15. That had upsets and crazy endings, galore. But in Week 16, fans had the chance to watch plenty of football during the holiday weekend.
There were some great performances from the quarterbacks this weekend. The most notable being the tremendous showings between Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones in the thrilling Minnesota Vikings-New York Giants game on Christmas Eve. There was also Patrick Mahomes doing Patrick Mahomes things in the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Much like every other week, there was some bad quarterback play. When it comes to who played like they should be benched, here are three who stand out. And yes, one will be completely obvious.
3 NFL QBs who deserve to be benched after Week 16, No. 3: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns‘ playoffs lives were on the line in Week 16. All they needed to do was to defeat the New Orleans Saints to ensure they still had a chance. Unfortunately for Cleveland fans, the offense was much like the weather in the city — ice cold.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson got the Browns on the board first in the second quarter after a 12-yard touchdown run. Given how windy it was at FirstEnergy Stadium on Saturday afternoon, both teams prioritized running the football. But when it was time to throw the football, Watson couldn’t do much.
With the game tied 10-10 in the third quarter, Watson attempted a short pass to wide receiver David Bell, but it was picked off by Saints safety Daniel Sorensen. Four plays later, the Saints took the 17-10 lead after a four-yard touchdown run by Alvin Kamara.
Ever since that drive, Watson was only able to complete 6-of-18 pass attempts for 49 yards. Late in their final drive, Watson threw three straight incomplete passes to Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and David Njoku, before getting sacked by defensive end Carl Granderson for a seven-yard loss to officially end the game.
Watson completed just 15-of-31 pass attempts for 135 yards in the 17-10 loss.
