Deshaun Watson's first touchdown for the Browns was a walk in the park on the coldest day he's ever played. (Cleveland Browns)
Saints play Grinch on cold Christmas Eve in Cleveland
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Instant takeaways from Browns’ 17-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints …
1. Bah humbug: Dome-spoiled NFC South also-ran New Orleans came into cold and windy Cleveland and kicked the Browns ass. The Saints fell behind, 10-0, and should have packed their bags for their bus ride to the airport. Instead, they toughened up and out-physicaled the Browns in the second half. They also turned Deshaun Watson’s good first half into his first loss at home. The Saints shut out Watson in the second half and pinned a bitter, 17-10 loss on the Browns on the second-coldest game ever in Cleveland. Game-time temperature was 6 degrees. With 26 mph winds, the wind chill was minus-16. Those conditions should have favored the Browns, but it was their offense that froze over the course of the game. Watson made some ‘wow’ plays early in the game, but failed on five possessions in the second half to produce points. One ended in an interception. Another ended on an ill-advised deep ball for Donovan Peoples-Jones on fourth-and-2. The last one ended with a Watson pass off the hands of DPJ in the end zone and another caroming off the chest of David Njoku at the 1. Watson was then sacked on fourth-and-10 from the 15. The loss dropped the Browns to 6-9 and officially eliminated them from the AFC playoffs. The Saints are 6-9. It’s the fifth time they played a game on the road on Christmas Eve. They’ve won them all.
2. Oops: Watson’s first turnover in two games led to the Saints’ second touchdown and their first lead of the game. Starting a possession at the Browns’ 43, and the game tied at 10-10, Kevin Stefanski came out passing. On second down, Watson threw hard and a little high for David Bell. The ball skidded off Bell’s outstretched hand and into the arms of safety Dan Sorensen, who returned it to the Browns’ 15. The Saints were fired up and banged it in on their fourth play, Alvin Kamara bouncing off tacklers for a 4-yard touchdown. The Saints took their first lead, 17-10, with :55 left in the third quarter.
3. Hill heating up: The Saints’ running game blasted out of the gate to open the second half. Alvin Kamara jumpstarted the drive with runs of 8, 11 and 14 yards and then Taysom Hill finished it off. From the Browns’ 25, Hill gained 13 yards on a keeper run to the left and two plays later he powered through the entire Browns defense with an 8-yard TD run up the middle. Kevin Stefanski remarked during the week that Hill runs like a fullback, not a quarterback. That run exemplified that observation. The PAT tied the score at 10-10.
4. Wow, Watson: On the coldest stage he’s ever played on, Watson produced his first ‘wow’ moments as Browns quarterback. The first came on third-and-3 from the Saints’ 12-yard line on the first play of the second quarter. Watson lined up in the shotgun and immediately ran to the left edge on a keeper and swept through as he high-stepped into the end zone untouched. Watson leaped back-first into field seats behind the west end zone. The next one came on his next possession. Heading again into the closed end, the Browns chose to go for it on fourth-and-5 from the Saints’ 33. Watson wait for Amari Cooper to break open on a great cut inside and Watson flicked the ball through-the-needle of defenders Bradley Roby and Tyrann Mathieu for a first down at the Saints’ 12. Wow.
5. And then this happened: On the same possession, Watson faced third-and-12 from the Saints’ 12. He bought time in the pocket moving forward and back several times. Finally, Cooper broke open at the back of the end zone and Watson zinged the ball on target, but Cooper slipped to the frozen ground. The Browns settled for a 30-yard Cade York field goal after a 17-play possession. The majority of the west side of the field was covered in a mixture of snow and ice even though it didn’t snow all morning.
6. No justice: Those plays alone made for a great half for Watson, though his numbers said otherwise (7 of 12 for 62 yards and 72.2 passer rating).
7. Twenty-two: The Browns’ TD drive was set up on an interception by Grant Delpit. Andy Dalton’s on-target throw caromed off the chest of tight end Juwan Johnson. Delpit plucked the ball out of the air and returned it 40 yards to the Saints’ 30.
8. Who, duh?: It took the Saints until 3:11 left in the first half to realize Taysom Hill was their best offensive option. That’s the first time Hill ran a keeper from the quarterback position. He gained 11 yards, then followed with another for 16 yards. A Tony Fields personal foul help jettison the Saints further, and they ended the half with a 23-yard field goal by Will Lutz.
9. Cold-weather tested: With 26 mph winds and a wind chill of minus-16, there was a risk in every punt. Well, on his first effort, Corey Bojorquez booted the ball 57 yards into the wind and it was downed at the New Orleans’ 1 by D’Anthony Bell. Bojorquez came to the Browns via Green Bay and Buffalo, so he’s pretty weather-test.
10. Pre-game notes: No surprises on Browns inactive list. Ethan Pocic returned to his starting center spot and Alex Wright replaced Jadeveon Clowney (concussion) at defensive end. The Saints had five starters out – receivers Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry, guard Cesar Ruiz, linebacker Pete Werner and safety Marcus Maye. Conditions at kickoff: Temperature 6 degrees, winds 26 mph, wind chill of minus-16.
