Deshaun Watson completed 15-of-33 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown in the Browns’ 17-12, Week 5 loss to the Jets, adding six rushes for 40 yards.
Watson also fumbled four times in rainy New Jersey conditions, somehow losing only one. Rather nonsensically drawing some “he’s back” chatter of late, Watson was indeed back this week, but just to the miserable form he’s displayed for nearly his entire Browns tenure. Alibis abounded — the weather, losing KC Concepcion to an early concussion — but Watson just wasn’t spinning a good ball, with the rather large exception of his 29-yard touchdown strike to Denzel Boston down the left sideline in the fourth quarter. That was a single-coverage thing of beauty. But other than that, Watson’s ball was fluttering and he was not making good decisions. That included on the Browns’ final play from scrimmage, a 4th-and-11 from their own 19 where Watson bafflingly did not attempt a throw, instead pulling the ball down and losing a fumble as he ambled near the sideline. Terrible. Although this will likely be an outlier performance in terms of its ineffectiveness, today was a reminder that Watson is never going to reclaim his long-ago Texans form. That should include for Week 6 against the Ravens, where Watson will struggle for superflex relevance.
