What can help save the Browns' season? It's not just Deshaun Watson – Terry Pluto's pregame scribbles

2. Washington has a 3-1 record. The Commanders are led by rookie QB Jayden Daniels, who is completing 82% of his passes. This is not a misprint. It's 82%.

3. But this is not an airborne offense. Washington plays at a very fast pace. The Commanders throw a lot of short passes. But get this, they only scored three touchdowns via the pass. They have now rushed for 10 touchdowns. Daniels ran for four of them. They average 169 yards on the ground per game.

4. Washington scored more points each week: 20-21-38-42. The Commanders have punted once in the last three games…that’s right, once…. They scored on 68% of their drives.

5. The reality is that the Browns defense wasn't bad. They allow 21.8 points per game, which is 15th out of 32 teams. They give up 299 yards per game, a very respectable 11th. So they were fine.

6. But the reality is that it's nowhere near good enough. Not with Washington's powerful offense, which constantly puts pressure on the defense because it lines up so quickly and snaps the ball.

7. And the reality is that the Browns have only had one decent offense this season. This is Dallas, No. 12 in the rankings. The others are Las Vegas (No. 20), Jacksonville (No. 29) and the Giants (No. 30). Washington is No. 2 in scoring, averaging 30 points per game.

8. The victory of this game lies with the defense and coordinator Jim Schwartz. They are not even close to their peak performances from a year ago – although almost all of the key players are back.

9. In the last two games, the Browns have missed 23 tackles. That was against the Giants and Raiders. There is nothing special about the offensive teams. Schwartz said: “The mark of a good football team is how well it tackles. We have been inconsistent in this area.”

10. That's putting it kindly. The Browns were sloppy on defense when it came to tackles.

11. The reality is that this team's chances on Sunday depend on defense. That's because the offense was such a mess. Four games and they haven't scored more than 18 points yet. My main NFL source told me that Washington's secondary is weak. A good passing attack can take advantage of that. The guy knows more about football than me, so I trust him.

12. But he also said the strength of Washington's defense lies in its tackles – Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. They can apply pressure in the middle, especially against a weak offensive line. Guess what the Browns have so far? Guess where they go without sacks with shocking frequency? You got it…pressure in the middle.

13. Since Deshaun Watson started playing for the Browns, this was probably the longest time I've been doodling before the game without mentioning him. I don't know what to expect from him. In the 20-16 loss to Las Vegas, I said, “He played pretty well.” That's kind of true. He was 24 of 32 passing for 176 yards. He threw a TD pass. He had an interception…it wasn't his fault, it bounced right off Cleveland receiver Amari Cooper's chest. The Browns lead the league with 14 dropped passes.

14. The offensive line is ranked 30th by Pro Football Focus. Historically, it has been in the top 10 most of the Bill Callahan era (2020-23). ​​Watson has been sacked an NFL-high 19 times. It was a little better against Las Vegas: 3 sacks, but he still took 11 QB hits. Part of this is thanks to Watson being vulnerable to balls because he holds onto the ball for too long.

15. I heard that the Browns have simplified their blocking schemes to improve pass protection. Then again, I heard that before the game last week in Las Vegas.

16. Washington allows 25.5 points per game, 26th in the NFL. It's not a good defense. But when it comes to the Browns' offense, the reality is that they now fall into the category of, “You have to show me real progress until I have great confidence in you.”

17. Washington ranks 23rd in the race. My NFL source tells me that Washington is vulnerable to a team that goes on the run. He believes Cleveland can be successful at this.

18. The reality is that the Browns have lost interest in running the ball this season. They rank 26th in total yards. Don't tell me Nick Chubb wasn't a factor. A year ago, Chubb played just six quarters before getting hurt. The Browns still ranked 12th in rushing. If they want to keep Washington's fast-paced offense off the field, a running Cleveland attack that stretches out the clock is a good way to go.

19. I heard it's unlikely that Chubb will be back for next week's game in Philadelphia. The Browns are trying to ensure he returns as healthy as possible after two major knee surgeries. Still, he practices and everything has been extremely positive.

20. PREDICTION: Washington 24, Browns 13. Despite their talented roster, I have no confidence in the Browns right now. On the other hand, my record for predicting games this season is 0-4.