CLEVELAND — Heading into Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, it was unclear how Deshaun Watson might look in his first full game back from the shoulder injury he sustained in Week 3 that has lingered since. It took a few series, but by the end of the game, Watson seemed to be able to find a groove—and he was aided in that by the outstanding performance of the defense.
The Cardinals entered the game 1-7, starting their rookie quarterback Clayton Tune. It seemed a solid opportunity for the Browns defense, which has dominated in most of their games this season, to have a resurgence after two tough outings in a row.
That's exactly what they did.
From a batted ball by Myles Garrett in the opening drive to tackles for loss by Shelby Harris and Grant Delpit; sacks from Garrett, Jordan Elliott, Harris and Dalvin Tomlinson (three to be exact); and interceptions by Denzel Ward and Sione Takitaki—the Browns defense was operating on all cylinders.
Cleveland held the Cardinals to just 58 total yards, sacking Tune seven times picking him twice. The Browns won the turnover battle +3, only gave up one of 13 third down conversion attempts and stopped the Cardinals' lone fourth down attempt.
"I'd say all levels of the defense was playing well; we all played off of each other. Defense was getting pressure, the cover guys were covering, and the linebackers were scraping and correcting everything. It was, it was, it was perfect football. They didn't **** a drop," said defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo.
The strong defensive stand not only was a solid reset for the unit, but it also gave Watson and the offense more opportunities to find a rhythm.
Watson's last full game came back on Sept. 24 when he played the Titans and suffered a rotator cuff contusion. He tried to return in Week 7 against the Colts, but after a few series and going 1-for-t with just five yards, he took a hit that pulled him from the game.
“It feels good. This is what I’ve been preparing and training very hard to get back to. Just to get out there and play free and be able to be very close to myself and just go out there and compete and have fun with my teammates, and that’s what today brought," Watson said.
Sunday was Watson's first full game in weeks, so it seemed likely he might need a few game-speed reps to find his groove. On his first few drives, Watson had some low, short passes. Scoreless through the first quarter, the Browns found their first points thanks to a Dustin Hopkins field goal. But it was on that drive that Watson seemed to find that groove.
A beautiful pass to Amari Cooper for a 59-yard gain saw Watson loosen up and really drive the ball downfield. The next drive, while there was a little luck with the bounce, saw a deflected pass from Watson land in the arms of Cooper in the end zone.
As the game went on, Watson seemed to have some more comfort on the field, keeping the ball on more scrambles and taking more chances on deeper passes. He was able to make perfectly placed throws to Cooper more than once. He threw 19-for-30 with 219 yards and two touchdowns.
"Him and Amari drew up that big one at the end there. They saw – they had a good conversation on the sideline, we talked about it. Unbelievable throw. I thought he had some really, really good moments. He ran the ball when he needed to, made plays, so I was really, really pleased for him," said head coach Kevin Stefanski after the game. "And that was important to get out there and get one today, take care of business. And then we got a big one this week, but really pleased with him. And then offensively, I think AVP (Alex Van Pelt) is going to have a pizza party because we didn’t give the ball away, so we’re excited about that as well.”
The Browns entered this game against one of the worst teams in the NFL expected to win. The 27-0 shutout lived up to those expectations but did it in a meaningful way.
A defense firing on all cylinders, an offense taking care of the ball and making some major pkays—and a special teams unit that had a solid return game with Jame Proche II's production, points on the board in the kicking game with more Dustin Hopkins consistency, and remarkable field position with some Corey Bojorquez monster punts including a 73-yarder downed at the 1-yard line.
"It's always nice to play complementary football. I think that's the beauty of the game. When the offense is playing well, the defense is playing well, special teams is playing well, that's when people start to realize the beauty of football," said wide receiver Amari Cooper.
With the Ravens up next on the road, Watson getting these important game reps as he returns from the shoulder injury and the defense resetting themselves in a big way, Sunday could be just what they need to enter Week 10 on the right foot.
"When we see them, it's on sight. We got to go out there and give it all we got. We know how good of a team Baltimore is, and especially the Steelers. They find a way to win games, and we got to do the same and find a way to win," said running back Kareem Hunt.
