The day-after celebration of an impressive Browns win was interrupted by a worry session.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson underwent an MRI on Monday on his left ankle, which was injured Sunday in the first half of the 33-31 victory in Baltimore. Coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t have the results and said it was too early to discuss Watson’s availability for the Steelers game Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
“I can’t get into Sunday just yet,” he said. “We’ll see where we are when Wednesday rolls around.”
Notes: Substitute tackles Geron Christian, James Hudson III pass difficult first test
Watson left the stadium in a walking boot but was adamant the ankle injury wouldn’t keep him from facing the Steelers in a battle of 6-3 teams. The MRI could change the expectations.
“I’ll be fine,” he said after the game. “I mean, right now I’m not feeling well. I’ll be ready to go 1 o’clock on Sunday. I’ll be ready to go and ready for that opportunity for us.”
#Browns Deshaun Watson said he never doubted he’d be able to finish game, said he’ll be ready next week. Ankle injured at end of first half. pic.twitter.com/eqYiRttVjA
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) November 12, 2023
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He went to the locker room before the final play of the first half — an unsuccessful Hail Mary — and was the last player to return for the third quarter as backup P.J. Walker warmed up on the field.
“I came in just to get retaped and whatever we needed to do,” said Watson, who missed nearly all of four games last month with a shoulder injury. “And I was going back out to finish. I wasn’t getting pulled out.”
Deshaun Watson shakes off terrible start, ankle injury to lead comeback win with perfect second half
Watson said the ankle was injured late in the second quarter when former Texans and Browns teammate Jadeveon Clowney tackled him in the red zone and the leg got rolled up on.
“He was just like, ‘my bad, bro,’” Watson said. “He checked on me and things like that. So he’s a brother of mine.”
Watson was 14-for-14 passing for 134 yards and a touchdown in the second half as the Browns rallied. They hadn’t won when trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter since 2014 in Tennessee. He finished 20-for-34 for 213 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a 74.8 passer rating. He was sacked four times and rushed eight times for 37 yards, not including a 2-point conversion.
Commentary: Browns play their worst game and best game in the same game … and get signature win
He was 3-for-3 for 30 yards on the final drive and had a 16-yard scramble into Ravens territory.
“He’s played in a lot of big games in his life, high school, college, pros,” Stefanski said. “He knows what’s required of him. I think he looks forward to all these games on the schedule and we know what it means when you’re playing an AFC North opponent.
“We know what that entails. We know what’s required, how physical it’s going to be, those type of things. I think Deshaun, like all of our players, is excited about that opportunity.”
#Browns Kevin Stefanski on Deshaun Watson being suited for big games in AFC North. pic.twitter.com/4EfHVUPIWU
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) November 13, 2023
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Running back Jerome Ford didn’t need the late-game heroics to believe.
“Even before that situation, we felt like we’re in good hands with Deshaun,” he said. “Great hands, and we continue to feel that. He’s a dawg and we are behind him.”
Watson returned Nov. 5 vs. the Cardinals from the strain in the right rotator cuff. Ford doesn’t doubt his toughness.
“He breaks tackles from D-linemen that sometimes I’m not able to break,” he said. “So I feel like he’s pretty tough.”
Watson has played well in the last three games he started and finish, combining to go 66-for-97 (68 percent) for 721 yards, five touchdowns, an interception and a 102.6 rating in wins over the Titans, Cardinals and Ravens.
“I was telling y’all he was lights out,” tight end David Njoku said after the game. “I wasn’t bullsh——. I was being honest. I was excited. I’m still excited to see him just continue to progress. He is one helluva player. He is very talented and I’m very glad he’s on our side.”
Whether Watson is slowed by the ankle this week or misses more time, the Browns are used to adversity and have shown they can handle it. The comeback vs. the Ravens was the latest example.
The Browns were without their starting tackles, No. 1 cornerback Denzel Ward and trailed by at least 14 points four times. They were behind for 59 minutes, 20 seconds, and no NFL team this millennium had won after trailing for that long, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
“Pretty much ever since I got here, Coach has been preaching on playing all four quarters and being tough and resilient, and we kind of fall in and rally behind that and we try to prove him right and show that we’re a tough, resilient team,” Ford said. “If there are downs left and there’s time left, you still got a chance.”
Cornerback/special teams ace Mike Ford Jr., who came off the bench to get an interception, said the attitude is cultivated.
“It’s just something you practice,” he said. “You put your guys in those situations and you kind of let them grow from those situations, learn how to deal with those situations, and then over time, that becomes part of your personality.”
Stefanski saw the results on the sideline Sunday.
“I never sensed from our players, I never sensed from our coaches really anything where they were concerned about what was coming next,” he said of the early deficit. “They just knew that we had to hunker down and do our job. That’s what the leaders on the football team kind of set forth. They set that leadership example.”
