The Cleveland Browns did it again on Sunday, winning their second game in a row when they snuck past the Carolina Panthers. This time, the win was at home, and the Cleveland fans let their team know how happy they were.
Once again, it was a full team effort when it came to securing victory. But also once again, several players stood out because of their A-plus work. Speaking on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, Adam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber gave special attention to both Mason Graham and Deshaun Watson.
Gerstenhaber has had his issues with Graham and Watson, but they both showed up in a big way.
“Mason Graham has been absolutely fantastic. He’s been the best player on their defense and I don’t even think it’s that close,” Gerstenhaber said.
“When it mattered in the fourth quarter, after the defense kept him in the game for the second week in a row, Deshaun Watson drove it for a field goal, drove it for a touchdown, and that touchdown throw to Fannin in the endzone, was an excellent throw,” he added.
MASON GRAHAM & DESHAUN WATSON DESERVE SOME LOVE. 👀🔥@adamthebull gives both their flowers after the #Browns grind out a 21-18 win over the #Panthers to improve to 2-1! 🏈
▶️ https://t.co/j3E17yM2ns pic.twitter.com/NXCNAP36O4
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) September 28, 2026
Gerstenhaber noted how lukewarm he was to the Browns choosing Graham as the fifth overall pick in the 2025 draft. It’s not that Graham was a bad defensive player, but some people felt the Browns spent too much to get him.
And his first season showed they may have been right. While some other rookies on the team were earning endless praise, Graham seemed to have trouble finding his footing. But he was getting to a much better place at the end of 2025, and has started 2026 with a bang.
As for Watson, everyone knows the problems that Gerstenhaber and others have had with the quarterback. His first game of this season was crowded with mistakes, but Watson has seemingly turned a page and is playing much better since.
It took him time to get started in Sunday’s game, but he stepped up when it mattered most, and the win wouldn’t have been possible without him. What makes these choices so interesting is that few people would have expected them several weeks ago.
Graham and Watson are winning people over, including fans who had written them off.
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