The Cleveland Browns’ offensive problems have become increasingly difficult to overlook, especially their struggles to protect the quarterback. A 27–6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8 highlighted the issue: Cleveland gave up eight sacks as the Steelers repeatedly disrupted the offense in the backfield.
After the defeat, head coach Todd Monken acknowledged that the team needed to improve in several areas. The numbers through nine games underscored the challenge. The Browns had allowed 38 sacks, the most in the NFL, while converting only 34.2% of their third-down attempts, a rate that ranked 29th.
Former Browns quarterback Garrett Gilbert believes improving the team’s ability to stay ahead of the chains is an important place to start. When an offense faces third-and-long, the defense can anticipate a passing play and send its pass rushers after the quarterback. That makes it harder for the offensive line to hold its blocks and gives the passer less time to find an open receiver.
“It’s as simple as this: you’ve got to stay ahead of the chains. If you’re in third-and-nine, those pass rushers are pinning their ears back. They are going to get after the quarterback,” Gilbert said on the Big Play Cleveland show. He added that reaching “third-and-manageables” gives an offense a more realistic chance to gain a first down and get the ball out.
That assessment points to a broader offensive issue rather than a single isolated mistake. Repeatedly facing long third downs can make the Browns’ passing game more predictable, putting additional pressure on the quarterback and the offensive line. Better production on earlier downs could help Cleveland avoid some of those obvious passing situations.
Deshaun Watson’s statistics show how much pressure the quarterback has faced. Through eight appearances in the 2026 regular season, he had completed 163 of 249 passes for 1,806 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He had also been sacked 33 times, the highest individual total in the league at that point. The Browns’ 38 total sacks allowed through nine games show that the protection concerns extend beyond Watson’s own appearances.
Monken has not placed the responsibility solely on the offensive line or the quarterback. After the Steelers game, he identified several parts of the offense that needed to improve, including protection, play-calling, execution, staying ahead of the chains and Watson’s ability to get rid of the ball.
“Scheming it, calling it, running it, staying ahead of the chains, and getting rid of the ball,” Monken said. He stressed that the issue was not the responsibility of one individual, describing it as a collective challenge the team needed to keep working to address.
The comments carried added significance ahead of Cleveland’s Week 10 matchup with the Houston Texans, as Watson returned to the starting lineup. He had been inactive for the Browns’ Week 9 game against the New Orleans Saints after entering concussion protocol on November 4. Watson cleared the protocol on November 7, and Cleveland subsequently confirmed that he would start against Houston.
The Texans presented a substantial test for a Browns offense that had struggled to keep its quarterback upright. Houston entered Week 10 with 29 sacks, tied for the most in the NFL. Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. had recorded 9.5 sacks, making him a prominent threat for Watson and Cleveland’s offensive line to account for.
Against a pass rush of that caliber, avoiding obvious passing situations would be especially important. If the Browns could make steady gains on early downs, they could reduce the number of third-and-long plays and make it more difficult for Houston to anticipate the call. Quicker decisions and timely throws could also help Watson limit the time defenders have to reach him when pressure arrives.
The Browns’ challenge, then, involved more than pass protection alone. The team needed improved execution across the offense, more manageable third downs and better coordination between the play-calling, blocking and quarterback play. Gilbert’s point about staying ahead of the chains offered a clear explanation for why Cleveland’s third-down struggles had made the pressure problem more difficult to overcome.
