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 27-0 win over Arizona Cardinals … 1. A rare goose egg: Remember that snow globe game against Buffalo in the 2007 season? Romeo Crennel was head coach and Phil Dawson booted two field goals that were blown through the goal posts? Seem long ago? Well, it was the last Browns shutout victory, 8-0 – until Sunday. Jim Schwartz’s defense didn’t let a golden opportunity for a shutout get away. It dominated quarterback Clayton Tune, a fifth-round rookie making his NFL debut, sacking him seven times, and forcing three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble). The Cardinals gained 58 yards on 48 plays. The only chance Arizona had of scoring probably involved a Cleveland offensive giveaway, and that didn’t happen. In a mostly-conservative offense in his first full game back since September 24, Deshaun Watson played error-free. Kevin Stefanski appeared to be content to sit on a 20-0 lead until just under the 10:00 mark. To everyone’s surprise, Watson reared back and threw a perfect pass of 49 yards to Amari Cooper racing down the right numbers to set up a 3-yard Kareem Hunt TD run and a 27-0 victory. It was the best sign yet that Watson’s strained right rotator cuff has mended. Watson was wisely lifted with 6:49 to play. His numbers: 19 of 30 for 219 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 10.7.5 passer rating. The Browns rose to 5-3 with the win, keeping pace with victorious Baltimore (7-2) and Pittsburgh (5-3) on Thursday night. The Browns play at Baltimore next and then come home to play Pittsburgh in a two-game stretch that should decide their chances of making a run at the AFC North title.
2. Cooooooop: Cooper also was at the receiving end of Watson’s only other longish throw, a 59-yard catch-and-run that traveled about 34 yards in the air. For the game, Cooper had 5 catches on 5 targets for 139 yards and a TD of 11 yards on a ball that ricocheted off the helmet of Arizona lineman Dante Stills.
3. Oh, no: Left tackle Jedrick Wills was carted off the field with 11:08 to go in the third quarter. Wills was engaged in a block when running back Kareem Hunt was blocked into the back of Wills’ right knee. Wills took off his helmet and immediately slammed it into the grass. Wills had left the game with another injury with 1:18 left in the second quarter. Always a game, he came back to start the second half, only to get hurt again.
4. Smelling blood: The Browns’ second defensive takeaway resulted in their second touchdown. Tune dropped back and looked to throw deep. The ball was stripped by tackle Shelby Harris. Myles Garrett caught the ball in the air for a fumble recovery at the Cardinals’ 11. It took Watson only three plays to convert the turnover, throwing for uncovered tight end David Njoku at the goal line for a 5-yard TD pass. That made it 20-0, Browns, and the only mystery left was whether the Cards would even cross the 50.
5. Thank you, Cards: The Cardinals gifted the Browns three points at the end of the first half. Dustin Hopkins’ 45-yard field goal at :00 made it 13-0, Browns. The gift came on third-and-9 at the Browns’ 35. Watson threw incomplete for David Njoku, but Arizona linebacker Cameron Thomas shoved Watson to the ground after the pass to draw a roughing-the-passer penalty. Watson was able to complete convert two third downs to position Hopkins for his field goal.
Denzel Ward celebrates his second interception of the season. (Cleveland Browns)
The offense-depleted Cardinals were awful in the first 30 minutes. Tune was out of tune from the start and amassed 31 net yards on 20 plays. The Cards had 23 yards on their first possession and only 8 after that. Arizona offensive possessions ended in punt, punt, punt, interception by Denzel Ward, punt and punt. Tune was 5 of 8 for 22 yards and sacked twice. Leading ground-gainer for the Cardinals was running back Keaontay Ingram with 15 yards on 4 attempts.
7. Where’s the zip?: Watson started slowly, as Stefanski tried to get him in an early groove with short passes and screens behind a lot of tight end-heavy and jumbo formations. Watson heard boos when his second possession ended with a hurried, low and away throw for tight end Jordan Akins on fourth-and-3 from the Cardinals 36. But that turned around quickly on his next possession.
8. There it is: On first down on his third series, Watson play-faked to Kareem Hunt out of a heavy formation and dropped the ball into Amari Cooper breaking down the left sideline. The pass went for 34 yards through the air and Cooper’s run with it made a 59-yard play. It resulted only in a 30-yard Hopkins field goal, however. On second-and-7 from the Cardinals’ 10, Watson was sacked for a 6-yard loss by end Leki Fotu. Fotu landed on Watson and Watson landed hard on his right shoulder. Fortunately for him, it was the last play of the first quarter and the extra time allowed Watson to shake off the hit.
9. Turnabout is fair play: The Browns’ only touchdown of the half was a lucky play – the complete opposite of what happened to P.J. Walker in Seattle last week. Watson threw for Cooper breaking inside on a slant, but the ball deflected off the helmet of lineman Dante Stills and floated to Cooper in the back of the end zone. It was Cooper’s second TD catch of the year and he’s the only wideout at that point to have a touchdown reception.
10. Next man up: In an effort to inject some life in his return game, special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone started newly-signed James Proche at punt returner. He used Elijah Moore in Seattle last week. In the first half, Proche had returns of 13, 4, 17 yards and 11. The 17-yarder was the longest of the season for the Browns. Actually, the 11-yarder was returned 20 yards, but a holding penalty on Mike Ford reduced it by 9 yards.
11. Pre-game notes: There were no last-second surprises on the Browns’ inactive list. Injured cornerback Greg Newsome (groin) was the only starter made inactive. Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was officially inactive, but was designated the third quarterback and could play in an emergency role. Besides Newsome and DTR, Browns inactives were: receiver David Bell, defensive tackle Siaki Ika, offensive tackle Leroy Watson and defensive end Alex Wright.
