What can we expect now from Deshaun Watson 2.0?
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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.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Four downs on Browns (3-2) v. Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
First down: Deshaun Watson, 2.0.
When we last saw Deshaun Watson at play, he looked more like his old self than any time in a Browns uniform. On September 24, Watson was in command of a 27-3 Browns win over Tennessee. Watson completed 27 of 33 passes for 289 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, and also ran four times for 16 yards. One of those runs netted Watson 10 yards and a first down and a shot to his right shoulder that resulted in a contusion/bruise/strain/microtear of his right rotator cuff. Watson was forced to sit out the most impactful game on the schedule so far – a 28-3 home loss to the Ravens – and a surprise, 19-17 win over the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers. So now he’s back and there are two questions: Can he stack another good game off his last one or is there needing to be another period of knocking off rust? And will he change his running style to protect his shoulder and further injury? On the second point, Watson said, “I don’t want to, but I definitely got to make sure if I can protect myself. But I don’t want to change the way I play, because that’s the success I’ve had. So I just got to make sure I just try to protect myself as best as I can.” The first point will be answered inside Lucas Oil Stadium, which is familiar ground for Watson. In six games against the Colts, a division-rival while Watson played for the Houston Texans, Watson was 2-4. He should relish playing in a dome stadium again, but there’s no way to tell how effective he’ll be. “I don’t want to get out there and be hesitant throwing the ball or anything like that. So I’m not going to put myself first in this situation. I’m going to put the team first,” Watson said.
Deshaun Watson is expected back at quarterback for the Browns after missing two games with a strained right rotator cuff. (Cleveland Browns)
Second down: Best defense in the world?
Through five games, Jim Schwartz’s defense leads the NFL in fewest total yards allowed, fewest passing yards, fewest first downs, third-down efficiency, and fewest points allowed. That gaudy success has prompted some players to beat their chests and proclaim they are the best defense in the world. But if Jake Moody hadn’t missed a 41-yard field goal with :06 left, Schwartz would have been fielding the same question his predecessor, Joe Woods, faced several times in his three years on the job. Such as, ‘What the heck happened on that last drive?’ While Schwartz encourages his players to have fun by celebrating good plays, he knows his defense has a lot of room to grow. The Browns beat Joe Burrow playing on one leg, lost to Kenny Pickett, beat Ryan Tannehill, gave up four touchdowns to Lamar Jackson, and had their finest hour against Brock Purdy. Now comes Gardner Minshew, a poor man’s Baker Mayfield filling in for Colts’ franchise hopeful Anthony Richardson, who is similar to Lamar but now out for the year pending shoulder surgery. Schwartz’s take: “It’s the NFL. You’re not always going to have a great performance every week, but we need to find a way to minimize our poor performances, minimize our poor plays, and accentuate our positives and keep our eyes on that destination.”
Third down: Focus on run defense.
The Browns’ No. 1 defense has held quarterbacks to 51.9 percent completions and a 71.6 passer rating. Those are phenomenal numbers. It also has held teams to 395 rushing yards in five games and 3.5 rushing average. So it has been equal to both tasks in the passing and running games. With Richardson out, the Colts intend to return the focus of their offense to premier back Jonathan Taylor, who has been eased into action the previous two games after settling a contract dispute. In Taylor’s absence, the Colts got quality play out of Zack Moss, a journeyman back in his fourth NFL season. Taylor is a home-run hitter and now the Colts will ask him to swing for the fences because replacement quarterback Minshew can not. Colts coach Shane Steichen was the Eagles offensive coordinator in 2021 when quarterback Jalen Hurts was just taking over. The Eagles took a conservative offensive approach and led the league in rushing. (Ironically, Minshew was Hurts’ backup that year.) Steichen showed a package last week with Taylor and Moss on the field together. It’s likely he will expand on that to try to develop a smash-mouth offense to help Minshew with Richardson out. “We’re ready for that, if that’s what it is,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Have a ton of respect for Jonathan Taylor, and we do anticipate that his workload increases as the games go on here. But they have multiple guys that can hurt you with the ball in their hand.”
Fourth down: Who wins a kicking duel?
If it comes down to a kicking duel, the Colts have a slight edge. Their kicker, Matt Gay, has had a phenomenal year so far. He leads the NFL with five field goals of 50 yards or longer and he made four of them in rainy weather in Baltimore to defeat the Ravens, 22-19, and out-kick Justin Tucker. Dustin Hopkins has been great for the Browns -- he has four 50+ makes -- but Gay has been better for the Colts. He has justified a $22.5 million contract that placed him second to Tucker in average annual value ($5.625 million). Browns special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone scouted Gay when Ventrone was with the Colts and argued to retain him on their practice squad. Gay got poached off the practice squad by the Rams, and the Colts re-signed him this season to that big contract. “You could see that he was going to be the guy,” Ventrone said. “Everyone in the building knew that was a dude and that we should have pulled the trigger and kept that guy and they would have saved themselves a lot of money. I felt like coming to Indy enabled him to kind of reset, get back to the basics, and he found his path. And credit to him for having a great career.”
The pick: Browns 23, Colts 18.
My record: 2-3.
