Taking a look at Watson’s performance against the Jaguars on Sunday
The Cleveland Browns defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday by a score of 18 to 13, and QB Deshaun Watson looked much better overall than he did in week one.
When looking at his performace on film, a few things stood out against the Jaguars from both a physical and mental standpoint in comparison to how he looked during the Cowboys game last week.
The Good
When you look at his performance in week one and compare it to yesterday’s victory, the main thing that stands out is his ability to complete the simple throws.
It feels weird to point out, but it was great to see Watson complete these simple throws today.
These were the types of balls that he was overthrowing pretty badly last week. #Browns#DawgPound pic.twitter.com/Lw7Pr6Xzw8
— Matt Wilson (@CoachWilson66) September 16, 2024
Yes, it’s not very exciting to look to these types of plays for signs of improvement but this is the area where he arguably struggled the most against the Cowboys last week. Not only was he overthrowing guys on simple crossing and slant routes, but he looked very jittery and uncomfortable in the pocket in week one.
Needless to say, a combination of better pass protection, play calling, and a more calm demeanor behind center on Sunday led to a much improved version of Deshaun Watson.
The Bad
Despite his overall performance, he still made a couple of “questionable” decisions against the Jaguars but one particular instance stood out late in the game.
Okay Deshaun, let’s make sure we just take the sack here next time.
Don’t want to be giving the opposing offense more time to make a comeback late in the game. pic.twitter.com/jCSRbvSVuo
— Matt Wilson (@CoachWilson66) September 16, 2024
It seems feeble but this could’ve led to a disastrous ending for Cleveland if the Browns’ defense couldn’t stop Jacksonville on their final drive.
Taking a sack here was the correct move because it would’ve kept the clock running so the Jaguars’ offense would have less time to work with. Sometimes it’s hard to think about this sort of thing in-game but it’s something that can be fatal in a lot of situations.
The Ugly
To be honest, there wasn’t a bevy of options to choose from (thankfully) when it comes to the “ugly” category.
There were a few throws where Watson could’ve let the ball go a bit early than he did. Doing so would’ve allowed the receivers to get a few more yards after the catch, especially on the crossing route by David Bell in the second quarter. Despite most likely being his first or second read, he allowed the defender the “catch up” to Bell by hesitating for an extra second.
Though “the bad” and “the ugly” categories were the last two areas talked about here, it’s important to keep in mind that his improvement was monumental this game.
Were you impressed with Deshaun Watson’s performance in week two? Join fellow Browns fans in the comment section below.
