Considering that Deshaun Watson hadn’t faced real NFL competition in almost two years, his performance over the first three weeks of the 2026 season was bound to be up and down. Fortunately, he has been able to overcome the lows with enough highs to give the Cleveland Browns two comeback victories.
While the first three quarters of each game have left a lot to be desired, the fourth quarters have shown what Watson is capable of when he’s at his best. The hope is that the more games he plays, the better he will be from start to finish.
Former player Tyvis Powell said he believes Watson hit a turning point in the 21-18 win against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
“I think Deshaun’s still got a long way to go. I think the good thing about Deshaun is that it clicked for him in that last drive,” Powell said.
DID SOMETHING FINALLY CLICK FOR DESHAUN WATSON? 👀🏈@1Tyvis says there’s still plenty the #Browns QB needs to improve — but he believes that final drive against the #Panthers may have been a turning point. 🔥
▶️ https://t.co/mgNz7LQx3F pic.twitter.com/z5V6Ej7SRH
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) September 29, 2026
Against the Panthers, Watson had just 67 passing yards through three quarters, completing just 10 of 21 attempts. But in the fourth quarter, he went 6-for-9 for 77 yards and a 14-yard touchdown to Harold Fannin Jr. with 1:48 remaining.
On that game-winning play, Watson avoided Carolina’s pass rush by rolling out to his left, and he threw across his body into the end zone. It came just two snaps after he missed one play when he got the wind knocked out of him on a critical roughing the passer penalty that negated a Panthers interception.
These heroics would not be necessary if Watson were more effective earlier in the game. This season, in the first three quarters, he is 36-for-60 (60.0 percent) for 334 yards and two touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, he is 20-for-22 (90.9 percent) for 253 yards and three touchdowns.
In Week 1, Watson padded his stats with a long TD pass to Denzel Boston against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 34-10 loss. In Week 2, he hit Blake Whiteheart for a game-winning touchdown in the 23-19 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, Watson will be looking for a much better start, helped by a boost from the fans, on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers with first place in the AFC North on the line.
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