Right before the start of the season, Deshaun Watson's public rant about Cleveland Browns fans made it look impossible that he'd play another snap for the team. Shortly thereafter, head coach Todd Monken announced him as the Week 1 starter.
Watson was fortunate that the Browns opened their season with back-to-back road games. And while there were some boos early in the home opener against Carolina in Week 3, winning cures (almost) everything.
Fast forward to Week 6, and the Dawg Pound gave Watson a piece of its mind after he and the offense managed just 24 passing yards in the first half.
Instead of being combative again at the podium after orchestrating another comeback win, No. 4 finally learned that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Watson noticeably changed his tone:
“These are games the fan base is always going to remember. I know they want better play and we want better play also,” Watson said. “We have to provide that for them early on in the games. But regardless, getting those victories, especially against a division rival in our home stadium, is very, very big.”
Deshaun Watson finally responded to Browns fans the way he should have all along
That doesn't sound like the same person who said he didn't know whether he could deal with the boos and negativity.
Against all odds, the Browns are 4-2 with Watson at the helm. All the talk about when he'd be benched has vanished, and as crazy as it may seem, there's even a universe where the Browns re-sign him this offseason, even if it's just for one year.
Of course, this doesn't mean Watson has been perfect. If anything, it sometimes feels like the Browns are winning in spite of him. That's what having actual playmakers and a risk-taking head coach can do for a team.
Watson's limitations are hurting the offense in so many ways, but he's also the best guy for the job, at least for now. There's no way to bench a quarterback who has won four out of six games, including two against divisional rivals.
Watson deserves criticism for how he's dealt with most of his Browns tenure, and people also have a right to feel a certain way about him because of his off-the-field issues. But, again, winning fixes everything. That's just the way things go in this line of business.
Browns fans didn't have many reasons to cheer on Sunday, at least during the first 30-plus minutes of the game. A half-hour later, those jeers turned into cheers, and it looks like Watson is finally embracing the fact that the fan base will hold him accountable but will also show him love if he figures things out.
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