What does Deshaun Watson getting the first preseason start mean for t…

When two quarterbacks are competing for one job, it's often perceived that the player getting the first crack as to any of the various checkpoints has the edge. milkshakeslot.online

And so it's fair to wonder whether the decision to give Deshaun Watson the start in Cleveland's preseason opener, with Shedeur Sanders getting the start in Week 2, means that Watson has the edge.

There's another way to analyze this development. The preseason opener is a road game. For Week 2, the Browns are at home.

Watson remains unpopular among many, if not most, Browns fans. If his preseason start had happened before a pro-Browns crowd, there may have been plenty of anti-Watson voices making themselves heard.

By getting his preseason start in Chicago, Watson will be able to operate without any such noise.

But it also raises the stakes for Deshaun. If he's not crisp and clean and clearly better than Shedeur, Sanders will walk out of the tunnel to a loud ovation for the Week 2 game against the Bills, with maximum support from the fans. And it could fuel Shedeur's effort to finally seize the job.

The overriding problem for the Browns is that neither guy has run away with the competition. On Saturday, Watson gets a chance to make his case without having Browns fans on his case. If he doesn't, the stage will be set for Shedeur to deliver the kind of performance that will make him the Week 1 starter.

Of course, winning the starting job to start the season (whether it's Watson or Sanders) may also include securing the reality of being the first guy to be benched, if the 2026 season doesn't get off to a good start.

And with the first four games against the Jaguars, Buccaneers, Panthers, and Steelers, the mini-bye after the Thursday night home game against Pittsburgh could open the window for a change from QB1 to QB2.

Kyler Murray got his first start with the Vikings on Saturday, in Minnesota's preseason opener at the Giants.

Murray led a 10-play, 54-yard drive that culminated in a field goal. He exited on the next series.

Murray completed two of three passes on the drive for only 10 yards. He had no rushing attempts.

The drive was fueled by runs from Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. Jones had three carries for 27 yards, and Mason had three for 17.

The effort ended with an incomplete pass on third and four from the New York 17. The short throw glanced off Jones's hands.

Overall, it wasn't nearly enough to allow any conclusions to be drawn as to whether Murray will have a career rebirth in Minnesota. The first real test is 29 days away, when they open the regular season against the Packers.