Deshaun Watson is heading into Sunday with plenty on the line as the Browns get set to host the Texans in Week 10.
Cleveland enters the matchup at 5-4, while Houston comes in at 3-5. Watson will be back from injury against the franchise where he spent the first five seasons of his NFL career, and former Browns safety T.J. Ward thinks the pressure is squarely on the quarterback.
"Deshaun Watson needs this game more than C.J. Stroud does," said Ward on Speakeasy.
"This is his career on the line. With every loss he takes, he’s sitting further and further away from not only starting for the Browns, but ever starting in the NFL again."
Watson has had moments this season that look like the Pro Bowl version of himself. Through eight games, he has thrown for 1,806 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions, helping Cleveland stay above .500 and sit third in the AFC North. He is also in the final year of the five-year, $230 million deal he signed in 2022.
His best stretch with the Texans came in 2020, when he put up 4,823 passing yards and 33 touchdowns against seven interceptions over 16 games.
Houston moved Watson after the 2021 season and later used the 2023 draft to select C.J. Stroud. Since then, Stroud has guided the Texans to the playoffs in three straight seasons.
Watson missed last week’s overtime loss at New Orleans with a concussion, and Shedeur Sanders filled in while the Browns managed just 297 passing yards in their third defeat in the last five games.
CBS Sports noted that this will be only the second time Watson has faced Houston since the trade. There’s plenty riding on the result for both sides: Cleveland can move to 6-4 and strengthen its playoff position, while Houston can climb to 4-5 and get closer to .500.
At Huntington Bank Field, both teams will think they have a shot. For Watson, though, the game carries a different kind of weight - another chance to prove he still belongs.
In Other News...
Texans Suddenly Have A Will Anderson Concern Before Browns Game
The Texans pass rush took a hit on the practice report Thursday, with Will Anderson Jr. listed as a limited participant because of an ankle injury ahead of the Browns game. Danielle Hunter was also limited with a hamstring issue, leaving Houston with some uncertainty around two of the players it leans on most to pressure the quarterback.
Marvin Harrison Jr. also sat out with a hamstring injury, and the full picture still wont be clear until Fridays final injury report and game designations are released. For a Houston defense that has tried to build its identity around getting after the passer, Andersons status is the one to watch most closely. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Offensive Line Suddenly Has A Browns Problem
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In Rutledges absence, rookie Febechi Nwaiwu is expected to step into the starting role at left guard, giving Houston yet another first-year player a prominent assignment in a key game. DeMeco Ryans has spoken highly of Rutledges consistency even through the usual rookie ups and downs, which makes the timing of this setback especially frustrating for a unit that has been trying to find stability. [Read more 🡒]
Texans See One Cleveland Challenge As A Real Opportunity
Windy weather in Cleveland is not exactly the kind of backdrop most teams welcome, but Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross sounded almost eager for it as Houston prepared for its matchup with the Browns. He pointed to the need for tiny kicking adjustments based on wind direction and emphasized how much the operation depends on snapper Austin Brinkman staying steady when the elements start to matter.
The forecast adds another layer to a game already carrying plenty of weight, especially with Cleveland still unbeaten at home. For Houston, the conditions could turn into a real test of discipline and detail on special teams, the kind of environment where field position, timing and clean execution can tilt the night one way or the other. [Read more 🡒]