CLEVELAND — Dorian Thompson-Robinson had seen this before. By this, the Browns rookie quarterback meant Sunday's disastrous first start in a 28-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

"I mean, luckily I started as a true freshman at UCLA, and if you guys would have re-watched that season, it looked like how I did today," Thompson-Robinson said after making his first career start on short notice. "So this is my first go-around. I let every one of those (offensive) linemen know that this is on me, too. This is not just an O-lineman fault today or running back or protection or anything. … So I know for me, backing up to Deshaun (Watson) and having to fill his role today, I could have been a lot cleaner on my part."

The rookie fifth-round pick found himself starting only hours prior to kickoff, when Watson was officially ruled out. His numbers read like someone who was thrust last-minute into the job: 19-of-36 passing, 121 yards, three interceptions and a 25.3 passer rating.

Thompson-Robinson was sacked four times. He also ran the ball four times for a net of 24 yards.

"Yeah, got the first one out the way," Thompson-Robinson said. "A lot to clean up from my standpoint, just making sure that I can do everything I can possible. I know that there's times where I forced the ball, tried to make a play. Even though it feels like that point in the game where you kind of need to, you still got to be able to go through your process, go through your reads and make sure that you're getting the ball to the right guy."

The question really was, did anyone expect Thompson-Robinson to be starting on Sunday afternoon? This specific Sunday afternoon?

The Browns spent all week saying the right things about Watson's status against the Ravens despite a right throwing shoulder contusion. That's even though it was Thompson-Robinson, not Watson, who took virtually all of the practice reps while the normal starter was limited to rest his shoulder.

Watson was generally expected to be the starter right up until the moment that he wasn't going to start. That came with less than three hours until kickoff after he had gone through a brief 18-minute workout.

“That is a decision between him and the doctors," All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio said. "I did not know either way. He was questionable going in, and that is what we expected.”

Thompson-Robinson had no insider information. He knew what he knew when he departed the team facility on Saturday, which didn't seem to be much different when he arrived at the stadium Sunday morning.

However, the rookie — one of five to start at quarterback around the NFL on Sunday — approached everything as if he already knew the answer. So, when his number was called, he did what he's always done.

"I love playing football, man," Thompson-Robinson said. "I love being out there with the guys and making sure that I'm the one out there making the calls, going through the reads, going through the footwork. So I'm a football player at heart. This is what I love to do, and I'm going to take advantage every opportunity I get."

Thompson-Robinson wasn't even supposed to be in this position a little more than a month ago. He was, as he said, in a battle for No. 3 with Kellen Mond behind Watson and Joshua Dobbs.

A strong preseason had Thompson-Robinson already above Mond for that spot entering the week leading up to the final exhibition game at Kansas City. Then, on the final day of training camp on Aug. 24, Dobbs was dealt to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

Just like that, Thompson-Robinson was No. 2. On Sunday, though, he was No. 1, which is much different in Week 4 of the regular season against a division rival than it is in Week 4 of the preseason against a lot of future practice-squad members.

"I say you really got to know your job because those guys know their job really well on the other side of the ball," Thompson-Robinson said. "And that's kind of the difference maker at the end of the day from quarterback position in preseason till now.

"So, again, that's my first time out there. We got some things to clean up, and speed of the game being one of them."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Dorian Thompson-Robinson glad to get first Browns start out of the way