Grading Deshaun Watson's Performance vs Ravens
Spencer German and Anthony Moeglin analyze Deshaun Watson's performance in a 33-31 win over the Ravens.
Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:09 >> Hey Browns fans, special German Anthony Maglin breaking down once again,
00:14 the Browns 33-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens here on the Chesapeake Bay.
00:19 A big win for the Browns and there's so many different angles to discuss from
00:23 this one, from the penalties and the mistakes and the miscues.
00:27 And they somehow pulled it out, the Dustin Hopkins game winning field goal,
00:30 so many different things.
00:31 But I think one of the biggest storylines coming out of this game, Anthony,
00:34 of course, is the play of Deshaun Watson.
00:37 It's been a story all year really, but today especially in a game where
00:42 first half looked like a lot of first halves have for Deshaun Watson this year.
00:47 He struggled mightily, he was not hitting his targets in stride.
00:51 There was a couple drops in there to give him some credit there.
00:54 He was putting the ball in the money.
00:55 I know when Joku had some early struggles holding on to the ball.
00:58 But he finishes the first quarter one of nine, 19 yards and
01:03 one interception on the second play of the game that was returned for
01:06 a touchdown from Josh Hamilton.
01:09 And then he finishes the half, six of 20 for
01:14 79 yards and just that same interception.
01:18 And you know, Browns fans watching at home had to be sitting there saying to
01:22 themselves, why did we trade for this guy?
01:25 What's so special about him?
01:27 It's the same story every time.
01:28 He plays a good team, he struggles.
01:30 He plays bad teams, he beats up on them.
01:32 When are we gonna get the payoff?
01:34 And that payoff ended up coming obviously in the second half,
01:36 which we'll get to.
01:37 >> It was obviously a shaky start, and it's one of those where the NFL,
01:42 it's so close, man.
01:43 We watch it together now, and we'll break it down.
01:46 Those first nine throws, man, we're just like, man,
01:50 you missed a couple bad decisions.
01:53 You're throwing a couple of the shots up the sideline,
01:56 not even landing on the sidelines, landing in the stands, it felt like.
02:01 And you're just like, he's so off right now.
02:03 And you didn't see kind of a light at the end of the tunnel.
02:07 And one of the things that was a huge adjustment for
02:10 him coming out of the second half, and how many times have I said it, Spence?
02:13 You give your guys the ball in space, they're gonna make something happen.
02:16 Not every throw needs to be a layered throw 25 yards down the field to a streaking
02:21 Amari Cooper or Elijah Moore.
02:22 Sometimes if you just dump it down to David Njoku in the flat,
02:25 he's gonna run through a guy or carry a guy 15 yards or make someone miss.
02:29 Or even just get six yards and put you in advantageous situations.
02:33 We're gonna watch a lot of, in that first quarter, he was just taking shots,
02:38 just staring guys down and just trying to push the ball down the field and
02:41 be like a Superman.
02:42 And then in the second half,
02:44 you just saw a totally different guy where he was playing the quarterback position.
02:48 He was letting the offense dictate where the ball was supposed to go,
02:51 not forcing it, not trying to press.
02:53 And when you do that, good things happen.
02:55 >> And he alluded to that after the game.
02:57 I kind of asked him, it felt like the Ravens got a little lethargic defensively
03:02 when they were playing back almost like a cover three show.
03:05 And they were just kind of letting, and maybe it was because of the first half
03:09 that they kind of said, well, hey, we're just gonna let the Sean throw the
03:11 underneath stuff because he's not hitting it anyway.
03:13 And take our chances covering deep, but if he throws it up, we'll pick it off and
03:18 force him into a mistake.
03:20 And so maybe because of the first half struggles,
03:23 it actually opened some things up for him.
03:24 But he kind of made it sound like it was less about what the Ravens did and
03:27 more about how, hey, I saw what they were doing in the first half.
03:30 And that kind of allowed me in the second half to come out and
03:33 really make sure I was seeing the right things and confirm what I was seeing.
03:37 And then I just took the throws that were there.
03:38 And I do think you saw that very much more in the second half.
03:41 And in the stats, bear that out 14 to 14, a perfect 14 to 14 in the second half,
03:46 completed every single pass that he threw.
03:49 Yes, this is not hyperbole.
03:51 This is not fake news.
03:53 He 100% completed every pass he threw in the second half.
03:56 He finished in that second half, he had 213 yards total.
04:00 And he had the touchdown pass as well.
04:04 139 was what he threw in the second half total combined with his first half
04:08 numbers, it was 213.
04:09 So again, not this exceptional to show watch performance that you're still
04:14 kind of waiting for where he throws for like 300 plus yards or even 250.
04:18 I don't even know if he's maybe hit 250 like once while he's been around.
04:21 Actually, I don't think he has yet.
04:23 But in a game where you do what you need to do to win.
04:27 And in a game where that second half, you saw the guy that the Browns traded for.
04:33 I think you walk away mostly satisfied with the results here and
04:35 his play on top of it.
04:37 And here's where I would push back just a little bit on the not exceptional piece.
04:41 I thought he was very, very good.
04:43 You also have to factor in that's the best defense in the NFL or
04:47 second best defense in the NFL that he was playing again.
04:50 Those guys everywhere on the field are very good up front, that's an elite front.
04:55 We talk about our front and high praise.
04:57 They are equal if not a touch better on the defensive line.
05:02 You go back to their linebackers, Roquan Smith had 21 tackles today,
05:05 14 solo tackles.
05:06 He was everywhere on the field.
05:09 Then you go into their secondary, they got the league leader in interceptions on
05:13 the back and you got Kyle Hamilton who has a pick six.
05:15 You got Marlon Humphries been around for forever.
05:17 Having a perfect completion percentage in the second half is spectacular
05:22 against this group.
05:23 And then also too, Spence, think about that one huge drive, right?
05:27 It's really hard to rack up crazy stats when you have a 10 minute 75 yard drive
05:31 that's methodical as heck and really just breaks down a team.
05:35 So it was, while I agree with you that maybe the stats don't bear out,
05:39 it's not gonna be on Sunday night football here tonight.
05:42 Hey, Deshaun Watson, best game of the day.
05:44 However, for what the Browns needed and especially in what felt like a game that
05:49 if they won it, which they did, that you get yourself a chance in the AFC North.
05:53 He was fantastic and he was fantastic when he needed to be exactly what you
05:57 wanted.
05:58 >> I don't think anybody should walk away from this game overly critical of Deshaun.
06:02 You can say the first half was bad, but if you take it in two halves and
06:07 realize what you got in the second half, plus you get the win.
06:10 In a Browns fans book, that is a beautiful day because the quarterback that you gave
06:15 all this stuff up for that you paid all this money to, he delivered.
06:18 And he delivered in the second half when it matters most.
06:21 He made some really big plays.
06:23 Hey, he threw a touchdown to Elijah Moore.
06:25 Elijah Moore's finally found the end zone this season.
06:27 That was pretty awesome.
06:28 And so it seems like he's starting to get a little bit more comfortable.
06:31 I don't know what, one day, maybe we'll get a Deshaun that comes out firing out of
06:35 the first half.
06:36 I don't know what it is with these first halves if it's just like I'm feeling
06:39 things out.
06:40 But yeah, I think mostly fans should walk away feeling pretty good about the
06:44 performance overall, even though it doesn't jump off the screen at you when
06:48 you see his box score stat line.
06:50 >> No question about it.
06:51 And my favorite play of his and the one that was, hey,
06:55 this is why we got this guy when he had the 16 yard scramble on the final drive.
06:59 Where he breaks the tackle, he's been injured all game, right?
07:03 And really, a quarterback can get hot and complete all those passes.
07:07 But only the special ones can be injured, step up in the pocket,
07:11 stiff arm, defensive tackle, break contain, and then run straight at
07:16 Patrick Queen and do it confidently and run right into him and
07:21 move the sticks and get your guys in scoring position.
07:23 Thought that was the play where when we go back and look at it,
07:26 why did we do all this for this guy?
07:28 It's plays like that, that change the game and give yourself a chance to win.
07:33 I thought he was awesome.
07:33 >> That is why they got him.
07:34 He went toe to toe with Lamar today, especially in that second half.
07:37 A phenomenal performance if you're looking at just those numbers,
07:41 the 14 to 14 and the touchdown pass in the 139 yards.
07:45 I don't know that there's much more you could have asked for in a game.
07:47 And it seemed like the Browns were out of it and he led him back to victory.
07:50 So impressive stuff.
07:51 I think this is another step in the right direction for Deshaun.
07:54 Maybe another sort of sign that he's turning that corner and
07:57 he's starting to get kind of his sea legs back underneath him.
08:00 In terms of feeling comfortable in this offense, comfortable here in Cleveland,
08:02 comfortable playing football again.
08:04 And we'll see if he can continue it against another tough defense
08:07 next week in the Pittsburgh Steelers.
08:09 That'll do it for this one.
08:11 Good stuff.
08:11 Deshaun Watson again, a brilliant day in the second half in particular.
08:16 Leads the Browns to victory.
08:17 We got plenty more coverage coming your way though over on the Browns Digest
08:21 YouTube channel, and of course at BrownsDigest.com.
08:24 (beep)