Deshaun Watson returns to practice and throws a football, but game status still ‘day to day’
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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.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
It was like a Sasquatch sighting in Berea -- Deshaun Watson throwing a football. To teammates, not to trainers.
Stop the presses!
Yes, the Browns’ quarterback finally tested his right rotator cuff in front of everybody. The shoulder muscle with the teeny-tiny micro-tears looked to hold up fine in the 15 minutes or so seen by media.
Watson threw mostly short passes to running backs, tight ends and wide receivers alongside backups P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the “limber up” portion of practice. It was Watson’s first throwing experience with teammates since he suffered a strained rotator cuff in the September 24 game against Tennessee.
Understandably, some of the throws were off target and none was with the velocity one might see in a game. But Watson appeared to pass this next step in the process of getting back into game action. I mean, he didn’t yelp in pain or clutch his shoulder after any of the throws.
Hell's bells, Deshaun Watson threw at practice for the first time since suffering a strained right rotator cuff on September 24. (TheLandOnDemand)
It’s doubtful Watson threw in the team portion of practice not seen by media. He was listed as “limited” on the Browns’ official participation report.
Now what?
Coach Kevin Stefanski, who is not available to media on Thursdays, probably will say Watson is “day to day” in his weekly wrap-up on Friday. Given Watson’s inactivity for about a month, it’s doubtful he would play in Indianapolis on Sunday.
So now that Watson has passed the threshold of throwing to teammates, the coaches will have to balance bringing along Watson with preparing P.J. Walker to make his second start against the Colts.
“Yeah, that’s a hard balance,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said. “You’re trying to make sure that [Walker’s] ready and at the same time, if Deshaun’s ready, then you want to make sure. So, you’re juggling back and forth. "But as a backup quarterback, that’s life, you know. You’re used to not taking a ton of reps and being able to come up and get hot right away and go. So, it’s good practice for him. If he gets all the reps, great, and if he gets half the reps, great. We’re going to roll with the punches on that one.”
‘Best in the world!’ Really?
The Browns’ defense is getting a lot of love nationally – deservedly so -- after its clamp-down on the San Francisco 49ers. The narrative might be different if Jake Moody had made that 41-yard field goal at the end. But he didn’t, and now some members of the Browns are beating their chests and proclaiming themselves “the best in the world.”
Coordinator Jim Schwartz has encouraged his players to celebrate big plays and enjoy success. I asked him, though, if he has to keep them grounded as the accolades pour in.
“Well, they don’t give out any trophies for five weeks,” Schwartz said. “I think we all know that. It’s a long season, and we’re going to have to survive a lot of highs and lows throughout the season. We have some experienced players. We have some experienced coaches that have been there, that know that. And I think that’s one of the things that keeps us grounded.
“So let me know when the five-week stats are part of the tie-breaker [system]. When they are, we’ll really concentrate on that. We’re trying to be good each and every game, find a way to give ourselves a chance to win every Sunday and try to be consistent.
“Sometimes you can react and overreact to short-term things. You can paddle the canoe too hard on one side and then you’re adjusting and pretty soon you’re just weaving and you’re constantly trying to course-correct instead of keeping your eye on that point in the distance and sort of keeping yourself on the right course."Schwartz promised his players they would lead the league in "bad-assery." He just wants them to walk the walk before talking the talk.
“Yeah, we don’t shy away from expectations and things like that and we do appreciate some confidence," he said. "And in order to have confidence, you have to play good. That would look foolish if we’re out there giving up 42 points. If we’re last in the league in third-down percentage and things like that, then it just becomes clownish behavior. But I think a lot’s being said with if you’re going to have some personality and some swagger, then you better back it up on the field. And I like our guys’ ability to do that.”
Brownie bits
Left guard Joel Bitonio took Thursday’s practice off, but is considered on track to play in Indianapolis a week after his streak of 102 consecutive games played was snapped because of recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery at the bye week. “I wanted to, bad. I was probably being a little selfish, honestly. It was a tough decision. I was trying to get back there, but it wasn’t quite ready. So, it was the right decision to wait a little bit longer.” Bitonio, who missed the 2020 season playoff game in Pittsburgh because of COVID, fell short of HOF Joe Thomas’ streak of 167 regular-season games played …
Cornerback M.J. Emerson said the football he intercepted in the 49ers game was tossed in a “cage” kept in the main defensive meeting room. Players who make a takeaway or fourth-down stop sign the ball with a description of the play they made. There aren’t a lot of balls in the four-foot high cage at the moment, as takeaways have been scarce for the defense. “Our goal is to overflow the cage,” Emerson said. This is a tradition Za’Darius Smith brought, Emerson said …
Linebacker Anthony Walker cleared concussion protocol and was back at practice.
