Heading into Week 2 of the NFL season, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was potentially playing to save his career. Now, after engineering a comeback upset win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Watson’s position seems to be secure, at least for the time being.
The veteran won over many of his critics on Sunday, posting his best quarterback rating in almost three years. Considering the circumstances both on and off the field, any praise is certainly well-deserved.
Analyst Garrett Bush gave Watson a glowing report card for his performance, handing out an A after the 23-19 victory.
“I don’t see no way that you can give this man anything lower than an A,” Bush said.
“I don’t see no way that you can give this man anything lower than an A.” 👀🏈@Gbush91 gives THREE reasons why #Browns QB Deshaun Watson deserves an A for his performance against the #Buccaneers. 🔥
▶️https://t.co/WYAS0VDmvY pic.twitter.com/kzj1GMSdKB
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) September 21, 2026
Bush cited three reasons for his review. First, he mentioned the circumstances of facing off against the quarterback he replaced in Cleveland, Baker Mayfield, who did not shy away from acknowledging his desire for revenge against his former team.
Second, Bush gave credit to the Browns for responding to a two-hour rain delay in the fourth quarter, with their defense setting the stage for Watson to wrap up the contest in the victory formation. Third, he praised Watson for not trying to force plays, instead letting the game come to him, which resulted in a turnover-free outing.
Watson averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt, was 5-for-7 on third down, and led the Browns with 22 rushing yards. In the second half, he was 17-for-21 for 183 yards and two touchdowns, including a 17-yard game-winner to Blake Whiteheart with less than four minutes to go.
Overall, Watson completed 24 passes in 30 attempts for 238 yards. By comparison, Mayfield was 21-for-34 for 182 yards and one interception for a passer rating of 73.4.
Watson’s 121.9 passer rating was his best game since Sept. 24, 2023, when he had a rating of 123.4 against the Tennessee Titans. He has only two other games with a rating above 100.0 during his time with the Browns.
Now, he will look to follow that up with another strong outing in the home opener against the Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday.
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