Deshaun Watson didn’t just steady the Browns. He’s flipped the whole conversation in Cleveland.
A week after plenty of fans were ready to move on from him, Watson has the Browns sitting at 3-1 and alone atop the AFC North entering Week 4. The opener at Jacksonville was rough, but since then Cleveland has ripped off three straight wins, including the kind of result that actually changes the temperature: a prime-time takedown of the Steelers.
That one mattered more than the others. Beating the Buccaneers and Panthers was nice enough, but Watson outdueling Aaron Rodgers on Thursday night carried real weight.
He finished 24-of-33 for 268 yards, a touchdown and an interception, with a 106.6 rating and 7.7 yards per attempt. He helped Cleveland jump out to a 21-10 halftime lead, then after a shaky second half, answered when Rodgers and Pittsburgh forced it back to 24-24.
Watson helped lead the game-winning field-goal drive, the kind of late possession the Browns brought him in for.
For the season, Watson now has a 101.2 rating and 7.4 yards per attempt. That’s a long way from the version of him many people had already written off after three injury-riddled seasons.
But the rebound isn’t coming out of nowhere. There are clear reasons it’s happening.
Todd Monken has been the right fit
The Browns’ decision to bring in Todd Monken to replace Kevin Stefanski drew mixed reaction, but Monken’s reputation as a quarterback coach has been earned. He helped Lamar Jackson win his second MVP in Baltimore, and the adjustment from one dynamic quarterback to another has been smoother than some expected.
Monken has blended the run game with downfield passing in a way that suits Watson. Watson is not the kind of quarterback who lives on easy checkdowns.
He wants to extend plays, use his legs, and attack deep when the look is there. That alignment matters.
Watson looks more comfortable in this setup, and the play on the field reflects that.
Cleveland’s 2026 rookie class has changed the offense fast
The Browns didn’t just hope the offense would improve. They stocked it with talent, and several rookies have stepped in right away.
Left tackle Spencer Fano, the No. 9 overall pick, has given the line a major piece. Wide receivers KC Concepcion, taken No. 24, and Denzel Boston, selected No. 39, have brought the kind of speed and playmaking the offense needed alongside Jerry Jeudy. Third-round guard Austin Barber has also held up well next to former Texans right tackle Tytus Howard.
Boston and Watson have already found a rhythm on the deep ball. Concepcion has been more involved after Watson was told to get him the ball in space, and he responded quickly against the Steelers.
The protection wasn’t clean in Week 1, when Watson was sacked five times against Jacksonville, but it has settled down since then, with two sacks allowed in each of the last three games. Fano, Howard and Barber have helped make that happen.
The second-year pieces are starting to look like real weapons
Watson’s connection with tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has become a real part of the offense. He found Fannin for the game-winning touchdown with 1:48 left against the Panthers in Week 3, and against the Steelers he hit him again to build a 21-7 lead.
Running back Quinshon Judkins has also started to come alive. He ran 17 times for 53 yards and a touchdown and added six catches for 43 yards against Pittsburgh.
After posting only 50 and 48 scrimmage yards in the first two games, he’s now up to 79 and 96 in the last two. Watson stretching the field with Boston has helped open things up for both Fannin and Judkins.
That balance mattered late, too. With Fannin, Boston and Concepcion drawing attention, Watson went to Jeudy when the game was on the line in the sub-two-minute drill.
The Browns wanted a reboot, and they got one
Cleveland’s offensive overhaul has given Watson a more dependable line and five skill players who are doing their part. The Panthers and Steelers wins weren’t always pretty, but they did show the same thing: Watson is putting the Browns in position to win when the ball is in his hands late.
The boos have turned into cheers. That won’t erase every uncomfortable feeling around him, but on the field, it’s hard to argue with what he’s doing now. And with the Jets, Ravens and Titans coming next, Watson has a real chance to keep this run going.
In Other News...
Steelers Let A Young Starter Slip Away Over One Familiar Rule
Joey Porter Jr. had become one of the more intriguing young pieces on Pittsburghs defense, but contract talks never moved far enough to keep him in black and gold. The Steelers put a long-term extension on the table that averaged $28 million per year, yet the structure stopped short of guaranteeing money beyond the first year, a familiar line for a team that has long guarded itself against heavy long-term risk.
That approach eventually pushed Porter into a holdout and then out the door entirely, with Pittsburgh sending him to Dallas for a second-round pick and a conditional sixth-rounder. The Cowboys are expecting him to help once he gets past a back injury, while the Steelers are left to wonder whether staying loyal to one organizational rule cost them a young starter with real value. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Have A Defensive Problem They May Need To Solve Fast
The Steelers defensive depth took a hit in Week 4, and it came in two different places at once. Derrick Harmon was carted off with a foot injury, while Jamel Dean was also slowed by an ankle issue and later seen in a walking boot, leaving Pittsburgh bracing for the possibility that both players could be sidelined for multiple weeks.
For a defense built on keeping pressure on opponents and surviving long stretches of the season, the timing is less than ideal. The staff is already weighing ways to cover Deans absence, with internal options and outside additions both on the table, and the next few days could shape how quickly the Steelers stabilize a unit that suddenly looks thinner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Tackle Panic May Be Missing The Bigger Long Term Story
The Steelers front has become an early talking point because the pass protection has been under real stress, with 13 sacks allowed through four games and a pressure rate that has left little room for comfort. Still, the line picture is not as simple as a weekly panic over the tackles, because Troy Fautanu has settled in at left tackle and shown steady improvement, giving Pittsburgh at least one spot where the trend line is moving the right way.
Max Iheanachors rookie season has been more uneven, but the first-round pick remains part of the long-term answer at right tackle even with some growing pains along the way. For a team trying to stabilize its offense, the bigger question may be whether the Steelers are looking at a temporary protection problem or a young tackle group that could matter more in the months ahead than it has in the early going. [Read more 🡒]