Browns' Deshaun Watson Playing Well Enough to Quiet Shedeur Sanders Conversation

When Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken named Deshaun Watson his starting QB, almost every NFL pundit thought Watson would get benched for Shedeur Sanders.

While that can still happen, thus far, Watson has played well enough to quiet the Sanders conversation, says Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report. 

The Browns are 3-1 in Year 1 of the Monken era. After losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, Cleveland has defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The Browns beat the Steelers by a final score of 27-24. Watson joined Brian Sipe as the second Browns quarterback since the 1970 merger to lead a winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime in three straight games, according to ESPN Research.

The victory, Cleveland's third straight after a 24-point road loss to the Jaguars in Week 1, gave the Browns their first 3-1 start since 2021 and moved them into sole possession of the AFC North for the first time since Nov. 9, 2014.  

Watson went 24/33 through the air for 268 passing yards against the Steelers. He threw one touchdown and one interception and carried the ball seven times for 22 yards. 

Through four games, Watson has completed 69.6% of his passes -- his best single-season mark with the Browns -- for 855 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. More than a month after he was booed by home fans while struggling in the second half of a preseason game and later lashed out at fans, Watson has delivered his best stretch in Cleveland since arriving via trade in March 2022.

The Steelers tied the score at 24-24 on a three-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Pat Freiermuth and a successful two-point try on a one-yard sneak by Rodgers.

Watson, though, quickly drove the Browns down the field with four straight completions. He was sacked for a four-yard loss two plays before the winning kick, but he was already within Andre Szmyt's range.

"That was money," Watson said of Szmyt's kick. "I just knew, I knew it was money. He told me the landmark, which was like the 42-yard line. He was like, 'Man, you got me a little extra,' so he would just line it up and we see it all the time. He's just going to be money."

The Browns won their fifth consecutive home game against the Steelers and extended their winning streak on Thursday Night Football to eight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.

Cleveland has also won three straight games for the first time since Weeks 14-17 of the 2023 season.

Watson and the Browns face the New York Jets in Week 5. It will be interesting to see if Cleveland can improve to 4-1 in Year 1 of the Monken era.