There is no question that Deshaun Watson is playing better for the Cleveland Browns than anyone had a reasonable right to expect this season. Only head coach Todd Monken is allowed to say he saw this coming, based on his unwavering support of the veteran through a tumultuous preseason.
But the pendulum may be swinging a bit too far the other way. Watson has come through in the clutch with three straight game-winning fourth-quarter scoring drives, but he has struggled for stretches before those.
Heading into Week 5, analyst Anthony Lima is making a bold claim about Watson, saying that he is “playing better than most” quarterbacks in the NFL.
“He has been inconsistent, without a doubt, but that’s the league. I’m sorry. Watch the other quarterbacks around the league, and look how inconsistent the quarterback play is. You name a quarterback, and I’ll tell you Deshaun Watson is playing better than most of them,” Lima said.
“You name a quarterback and I’ll tell you Deshaun Watson is playing better than most of them.”@SportsBoyTony on Watson’s impact so far.#Browns pic.twitter.com/wO0ww4LsDo
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 6, 2026
Lima bases a lot of his declaration on Watson’s unexpected rushing ability, especially coming back from almost two years on the sidelines because of two Achilles tears. He has gotten 10 first downs this season with a scramble or designed run, and Lima maintains that opposing defensive coordinators are wary of facing him because of that.
The radio host is not the only one buying into Watson’s performance. Tony Rizzo recently said Watson has become one of the 10 best quarterbacks in the league, even though the stats and advanced metrics say otherwise.
For example, Pro Football Focus has Watson ranked 28th among 36 qualified quarterbacks. He has seven turnover-worthy plays, and if not for an interception that was overturned by a penalty and the recovery of his own fumble on a scramble, Cleveland may have lost to Carolina and Pittsburgh, respectively.
So, it should be noted that the Browns have been fortunate in building their 3-1 record. They are the only team in NFL history to have fewer TDs and fewer net passing yards than their opponents in their first four games yet still have a winning record.
Perhaps Watson’s biggest accomplishment so far has been staying on the field for all but one snap. With injuries thinning the quarterback ranks around the league, his ability to remain the Browns’ starter could prove to be very important in their pursuit of a playoff berth.
This is not to say that Watson hasn’t been effective so far, and the Browns should feel good that they are in first place in the AFC North with their quarterback still likely to improve going forward.
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