Dominant Second Half Powers Browns Past Commanders
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Behind Deshaun Watson's three second-half touchdown passes, the Cleveland Browns dominated the Washington Commanders, both putting an end to playoff hopes in the nation's capital and providing the best glimpse of what's possible for this team's future offense.
Coming out of a half in which the Browns were trailing 7-3, the defense promptly forced a three-and-out. Watson and the offense needed six plays to go 63 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. 46 of those yards came on a quick out to Amari Cooper to the left. Cooper beat the defensive back with his footwork on the initial route, then easily ran away from unbalanced, desperate tackle attempt, going up the sideline for the score.
Cooper did most of the work, but it was an accurate throw on time that enabled Cooper to not just get a first down, but give him the opportunity to create with the ball in his hands. Cooper was only targeted four times in the game, but he caught three of them for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington tried to respond on their next drive, able to pick up one first down before again being forced to punt. On 3rd-and-8, Myles Garrett was lined up a few yards away from the center. With a running start, he crashed the line of scrimmage and sacked Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz. Garrett now has 15 sacks on the season.
The Browns opened up their second drive with three straight runs to Nick Chubb. Chubb gashed the defense with runs of nine, seven and six. Rookie runner Jerome Ford got the next carry, this time on a toss to the left going for nine yards.
After two plays that combined for one yard, Watson found a wide open Cooper for 26 yards, converting a 3rd-and-9 situation. Between a Kareem Hunt carry that predictably lost yards and a penalty, the Browns found themselves with 2nd-and-19. This time, Watson found tight end David Njoku for a 21-yard pass to the left.
A handoff to Chubb only gained a yard and Watson was unable to connect with Donovan Peoples-Jones, setting up a 3rd-and-9 situation from the Commanders 13-yard line. Watson was able to be patient in the pocket until he found DPJ again, this time wide open and able to make the catch and run it into the end zone, giving the Browns a 17-7 lead with the extra point.
The Commanders responded with their best offensive drive of the second half. They were able to gain 42 yards combined on their first four plays. The Browns defense would surrender a four-yard run on the proceeding first down play, but rallied with a run stuff and a tackle for loss on a pass to the flat which linebacker Deion Jones was able to sniff out. The Commanders kicked a field goal, which reduced the Browns lead to just a single score.
In what seemed like an opportunity for the Browns to set the tone and perhaps run clock with Chubb, the Browns used him as a decoy on the first two plays of their third drive of the second half. First, the Browns tried to run a stretch bootleg with Watson. The Commanders were on top of it forcing a throwaway out of bounds.
The second play, Watson meshed a handoff with Chubb, pulled it and ran up the middle. He immediately had enough yards to get the first down, but opted to set up his blocks and run behind them working his way to the sideline for 21 yards. It was the best read play of the season and the fake created a massive running lane for Watson.
Browns were going to be in a 3rd-and-8 situation in the next set of downs if not for the Commanders being unable to get a substitution completed. The Browns caught them with 12 men on the field, providing them a more suitable 3rd-and-3. The next play, Watson was ready to pass but saw an open lane and tried to capitalize on it. Commanders edge rusher Casey Toohill was able to stop him a few feet short of the first down.
Jacoby Brissett jogged onto the field in an all-too familiar scenario for the Browns. 4th-and-1, they had the 250lb Brissett power forward to pick up the first down. Watson re-entered the game, handed the ball off to Chubb twice for a combined ten yards. Finally, with time to throw the ball, found a wide open Cooper near the right hash for a completion. Cooper was able to run the rest of the way, fighting the ball inside the pylon for the score.
24-10. Grant Delpit closed the door with an interception in the end zone on the next drive, his second of the game. The defense played well, but this game was about Watson.
After a half in which Watson misfired a number of times, took some bad sacks and just seemed off, the Browns $230 million man came out and showed the talent they paid so much to acquire.
By no means perfect, Watson showed poise. He didn't allow the early struggles to snowball into another lost game, seeming to accept it as part of the process of returning to the game after the layoff. But after the game against the New Orleans Saints, which was largely a waste save for some great throws in extreme weather, the Browns needed to show progress. Watson needed to demonstrate improvement. For peace of mind if nothing else.
Watson completed only nine passes in the game, further illuminating just how impotent they were in the first half. Nevertheless, three of those completions resulted in touchdowns, matching the number of touchdowns Watson produced in the first four games combined.
The Commanders boasted a tough defense, had the benefit of playing at home and had every possible incentive to win this game. The Browns led by Watson were simply the better team. It's a step in the right direction. The Browns will have the opportunity to take another step when they face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers next week in the regular season finale.
