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Myles Garrett has double-digit sacks in six straight seasons. (Yahoo Sports/Henry Russell)
Positive vibes about Deshaun Watson, on or off the field, have been rare for the Cleveland Browns since they traded for the controversial quarterback. But for one fantastic half against the Baltimore Ravens last season, Watson looked like the player the Browns thought they were getting.
The Browns trailed 24-9 at the Ravens. Watson struggled in the first half. The Ravens were a tremendous opponent; they ended up being the No. 1 seed in the AFC. And Watson willed Cleveland to a win. In the second half he completed 14 of 14 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. The Browns scored on five of their six second-half possessions and won 33-31.
The good vibes from that game didn’t last long and are long forgotten by now. Three days after, the Browns announced Watson’s season was done due to a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his right shoulder. He had season-ending surgery. But that half of football provided hope for Cleveland. The criticism of the Browns for acquiring Watson and his off-field issues that centered on sexual assault and misconduct allegations from multiple women, then signing him to a $230 million fully guaranteed contract extension, will never subside. Watson can still change the football side of his narrative, for whatever it would be worth.
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When the Browns traded for Watson, they tossed aside moral dilemmas because they were desperate to add a quarterback who was one of the NFL’s best when he was with the Houston Texans. Cleveland invited a ton of criticism and hasn’t even gotten the benefit of having a good quarterback. Watson has been decidedly below average with the Browns. It had been a long time since Watson looked like the quarterback he was at Clemson and Houston. But that second half at Baltimore was finally it.
The Browns ended up with a feel-good story, which has been rare for them since trading for…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-offseason-power-rankings-no-7-cleveland-browns-need-more-from-deshaun-watson-123026625.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-07-23 12:30:26
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