It’s no secret that Sunday was a pivotal game for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, as he was playing for his starting job. Fortunately for the veteran quarterback, he responded by playing one of his best games as a Brown and helping Cleveland defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-19.
Needless to say, Watson will be starting the Browns’ home opener in Week 3. With Cleveland also playing on Thursday in Week 4, it’s safe to assume the veteran quarterback will also start on the short week, and likely beyond that until he gives the Browns a reason to think otherwise.
So how did Watson do it? How did the quarterback go from potentially being benched to playing a game like the one he did on Sunday that will keep him in the lineup? The veteran quarterback simply managed the game, and avoided doing too much.
Browns showed the formula for winning with Deshaun Watson against Buccaneers
Watson played a good game, completing 24-of-30 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 22 yards on the ground. However, without discrediting his winning effort, it’s fair to say that Watson didn’t have a lights-out performance that turned every critic into a believer. He didn’t need that kind of outing, though, and that’s the point.
Todd Monken called somewhat of a safe game offensively, and leaned on a Browns defense that showed up on Sunday. Watson wasn’t asked to sling the ball all over the field, and Cleveland played relatively conservative when facing long third downs. That resulted in a lackluster first half where the Browns had just two field goals, and Watson was 7-of-9 for 55 yards with an average of 2.5 air yards per attempt.
However, Cleveland stayed the course, the defense held up, and Watson continued to get the ball into his playmakers’ hands and let them make plays. Throughout the game, Watson seemingly gained more confidence, and that led to him picking up key third downs with his legs or decisive throws.
So while Watson didn’t have the kind of show-stopping 400-yard, five-touchdown performance that would leave everyone raving, he played the kind of game necessary for a Cleveland win. Watson protected the ball, made the throws that were there, and allowed his talented weapons to make plays.
The most exciting part is that Watson did that without the help of a run game. He led the team with 22 rushing yards, but without his production, the Browns had just 22 yards on 16 carries. If Cleveland can get the ground game rolling, Watson would be in an even better position to distribute his way to victories.
Of course, this is just one game, and the question with Watson is always about consistency. Will the veteran quarterback be able to maintain this level of play as a baseline moving forward? If the answer is yes, Watson will remain in the lineup and the Browns will surprise some people. If the veteran quarterback regresses, Cleveland will find itself right back in the dizzying quarterback conversations.
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