Watson gives Browns glimpse of future with 3-TD performance

Deshaun Watson joined the Browns in March to much excitement, controversy, and intrigue.

He didn’t really show up until Sunday’s second half.

Watson fired three touchdown passes, two to Amari Cooper, after halftime as the Browns pushed Washington to the brink of the playoffs with a 24-10 victory over the Commanders, finally exhibiting the top quarterback Cleveland mortgaged its future for.

The Browns (7-9), who are attempting to gain momentum for 2023, saw Watson put together his greatest all-around performance in five starts, despite his unimpressive stats (9 of 18 for 169 yards).

The beginning of Watson’s new year wasn’t great.

His performance in the first half was dismal (3 of 8 for 23 yards), and it had a funny moment when he finished a chaotic scramble from the pocket by sending a pass to ineligible right lineman Jack Conklin, who can now add a target to his professional résumé.

Watson was terrible, and by halftime Twitter was ablaze with criticism of both him and the Browns for acquiring him for $230 million by dealing three first-round draft picks.

Watson, though, changed the course of the game with several accurate passes and well-timed runs in the second half that were planned by coach Kevin Stefanski, who had his own problems in the first 30 minutes.