For over three hours on the field, Deshaun Watson managed to push aside all the distractions and issues. That doesn’t mean those issues have disappeared.
Cleveland’s quarterback bounced back from a tough performance in the season opener and made key plays on Sunday, helping the Browns secure an 18-13 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, despite a rough, penalty-heavy game.
For Watson, this game was both a confidence boost and a temporary break from his ongoing legal problems after another woman filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault and battery from an incident in 2020.
Watson is being investigated again by the NFL to see if he violated its personal conduct policy a second time. The woman’s lawyer mentioned last week that his client might be willing to speak with the league.
If Watson were to be suspended, there’s a chance the Browns could cancel the last two years of his $230 million contract signed in 2022.
This is all speculation for now. The important thing is that Watson played with composure and helped the Browns (1-1) bounce back from a poor Week 1 loss to Dallas and shift the focus of his and Cleveland’s season—for now.
“He understands that he’ll do whatever it takes to win,” coach Kevin Stefanski said.
Watson’s stats weren’t impressive: 22 completions out of 34 attempts for 186 yards and a 78.8 rating. But he started off strong, completing 7 of 8 passes during Cleveland’s opening 16-play, 89-yard drive that took 9:14 and ended with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Unlike the previous week’s game, his first since a season-ending shoulder injury last November, Watson was more decisive. He released the ball quickly and seemed to read the coverages better.
