Watson just beat the Steelers on Thursday night and the Browns are 3-1 - is he actually back?
Deshaun Watson went 24-of-33 for 268 yards and a TD in the Browns 27-24 win over the Steelers last night - three straight game-winning drives, and Cleveland is 3-1, somehow sitting first in the AFC North. Analysts are suddenly saying Watson is back. I remember the preseason boos and the Shedeur Sanders QB1 debate. For people who watch this team every week: is this real, or is he one bad game away from the bench again?
2 answers
- Still a turnover machine
268 yards is fine, but he lost a fumble and threw an interception that swung the game. The Browns won because Szmyt drilled a 56-yarder with 10 seconds left, not because Watson was flawless. 'Back' means doing this in December against good teams, not September against a broken Steelers secondary. I will believe it after the Jets game.
- The 4-game sample caveat
Watson has 855 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs across four games - but the number that actually answers this is his EPA per dropback against top-12 defenses, and we do not have that sample yet. The Steelers defense is a shell of itself, the opener was a clunker, and the Jets on Oct 11 is the first real test. Check the opponent-adjusted splits after week 6 before deciding whether to believe.