Deshaun Watson engineers long-awaited signature performance in Browns' comeback vs. Ravens

BALTIMORE – The first 11 games of Deshaun Watson’s Cleveland Browns tenure were not what the franchise expected or hoped for after giving the quarterback a fully guaranteed $230 million contract upon acquiring him from the Houston Texans.

Neither was the first half of contest No. 12, Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Watson was 6-of-20 for 79 yards with an interception, which was returned for a touchdown on the second play of the game by Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton. He had a quarterback rating of 22.7. The Browns, trailing 17-9, managed just three field goals.

“I knew I had a lot more on my shoulders than I should have, putting ourselves in a hole, but I was ready and prepared for that moment,” Watson said after the game. “I didn’t fear anything.”

Watson completed all 14 of his passing attempts in the second half, and the Browns made plays on both sides of the ball to erase a 15-point second-half deficit. Dustin Hopkins nailed a 40-yard field goal as time expired to give Cleveland a 33-31 victory.

But none of it was possible without the improved play of Watson, who battled through an ankle injury he suffered when his former Texans teammate Jadeveon Clowney caught him from behind in the red zone just before halftime.

“He’s a warrior,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said.

His limping did not inhibit his passing form. Watson threw for 134 yards and a score in the second half, and Cleveland dominated the flow of the game down the stretch to cap off the comeback and key division victory.

“Guy’s a dog, and we’ve known that for a long time now,” defensive end Myles Garrett said of Watson. “I’m trying to tell y’all, when he hits his stride, he’s going to be back to his previous ways.”

It may not be the Watson of old, but his play Sunday at least resembled a vintage performance.

“You can’t do nothing but be proud of him,” said receiver Elijah Moore, whose 10-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter made it 31-24.

Two plays after Moore’s score, Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II intercepted a deflected Lamar Jackson pass and returned it for touchdown. But nothing came easy for the Browns on Sunday, and Hopkins missed the extra point wide left. The defense put together another stop and forced a punt, the offense held onto the ball for the final 4:55 and Hopkins found redemption.

Jerome Ford finished with 107 rushing yards on 17 carries, and Kareem Hunt scored on the ground in the third quarter. Of the Ravens’ 17 first downs, five came via Browns penalties.

Watson said the Ravens succeeded in disguising their coverages in the first half. But in the second half, he said, the Ravens played into the Browns’ hands.

“I trusted my eyes and trusted my reads,” said Watson, who finished 20-for-34 for 213 yards and 37 rushing yards on eight attempts.

Victories like that against a rival define a season, Garrett said. Having Watson lead the way only gives the Browns – who at 6-3 trail the Ravens by just a half-game for the AFC North lead – more confidence going forward.

“I think he’s going to continue to carry that momentum throughout the season,” he said, “because he’s special.”

Offensive guard Joel Bitonio – anchoring an offensive line that was missing both starting tackles – said he sensed a different “focus” from Watson throughout the week.

“He just battled,” Bitonio said. “He’s a gamer.”

Watson, who left the stadium in a walking boot, sat out the first time the Browns faced the Ravens this season, a 28-3 defeat with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback, with a right shoulder injury. He hurt the same shoulder early in a Week 7 game against the Indianapolis Colts and missed the next contest before returning last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. On Sunday, Watson entered the locker room a play early ahead of halftime to have his ankle retaped. Exiting the contest never crossed his mind, he said, and he’ll be ready for next week’s game against another AFC North opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I could deal with the adversity, I could deal with the noise, I could deal with all that, that stuff comes and goes, it’s a part of football,” Watson said. “This game and this business, it’s hard. You’re going to have ups and downs, and you got to be able to deal with it.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deshaun Watson's signature Cleveland Browns came vs. Baltimore Ravens