Everything Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson Said Before Week 5

Deshaun Watson talked about the state of the team, the return of Nick Chubb and more in his weekly press conference for Browns

Sep 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) scrambles from New York Giants linebacker Micah McFadden (41) during the second half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

As the Cleveland Browns get ready for a Week 5 matchup with the Washington Commanders, here's everything quarterback Deshaun Watson had to say during his weekly press conference:

Q: Deshaun, when you watch the film of that, did you feel any better about how things are going to go going forward, or what was your takeaway when you reevaluated that game?

Watson: The biggest thing is just, we got to correct the little mistakes that’s costing us the opportunity to make big plays and win games. That’s pretty much it.”

Q: Did you feel like this game was a step forward for you personally, how you played?

Watson: Every week is a step forward. So, the more I’m out there, the better I’m going to get, and the better I’ll be and the more confident I’ll be.

Q: Deshaun, you’ve gone four games in a row for the first time without throwing over 200 yards. Is it understandable, considering that the team leads the league in dropped passes, or is it a source of concern for you? Do you feel that stat when you’re out there?

Watson: No, I don’t. I don’t care about the stats. I just want to win. So, none of that stuff matters.

Q: I hate to drag you through another fourth down play, but, and the only reason why I’m asking is it informs what happens going forward, on fourth and three at the nine, when you watch the film again, did you do everything that you could have done on that play the way that it was designed, or should you have maybe just run it up to Jordan (Akins) in the end zone and taken a shot there?

Watson: I mean, we can all sit here and say we could have thrown it up, it could have been an incomplete, could have been an interception, or he could have caught it. Who knows what that percentage would have been and what would have happened. So, at the end of the day, you give the (Las Vegas) Raiders credit and they stopped us, and that’s pretty much it.”

Q: Deshaun, we saw you were vocal with Dawand (Jones), and then I think there’s a play with Jerome (Ford) where he went the wrong way and you said something to him out there, and I know you’re a captain and a leader the whole time, but do you feel that vocal kind of leadership is more necessary now with the struggles you guys are having?

Watson: I’ve always been vocal, so just because you probably saw it during the game, Sunday, doesn’t mean I haven’t been vocal before. So that’s always been me. If I need to correct something, then I’m going to correct it. And that’s just how it kind of always went.

Q: At 1-3, you don’t feel like an extra need to take, maybe do something extra because you guys are having struggles as a team?

Watson: No, I mean, we know what the struggles are, and that’s just self-inflicted. Offensively, self-penalties that’s costing us not to continue drives. And I can’t speak defensively, and I can’t speak special teams, but offensively, just holding penalties and things like that, misalignments, things like that, that are just causing us to not be as explosive as we want to.”

#Browns QB Deshaun Watson offered words of encouragement for Dawand Jones following their heated in-game exchange https://t.co/JtBd5Ch5y2

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Q: Deshaun, talking about some of the self-inflicted stuff, how much do you think that’s a factor on third down right now and the low-rate you guys have on converting third downs right now?

Watson: I mean, the third down percentages start with the first and second down. We got to put ourselves manageable for third downs before we can speak on it. So, the more the distance increase in third down, the lower the percentage gets for anybody to capitalize on. So, I think the biggest thing is just really just being more locked in on first and second down so we can get ourselves in position to create opportunities for us to be positive on those third downs.”

Q: First down would seem to be the easiest play call of a series, and you guys are like 3.2 yards per first down. What’s going on with first down?

WATSON: I don’t know. I mean, that’s a Kevin (Stefanski) question, so you got to talk with the coordinators on that part. I’m just executing whatever is called. If people think it’s easier on first down, I think every down is hard. It’s the NFL, so it just depends on what the defense is doing.

Q: Does it seem like most of the self-inflicted penalties are on first down?

WATSON: I don’t know. I don’t know the percentage.

Q: Deshaun, when you see a guy like Davante Adams request a trade from the Raiders, does that get the wheels churning for you at all? I mean, do you feel like this team could use another premier wideout like that, by any chance?

WATSON: No. I’m locked in on my guys that I have in this locker room now. So, I don’t get into the trade talks or things like that or trying to add guys. I’m trying to focus on the execution, the game plan, so we can be productive on Sunday against the (Washington) Commanders. All that is for AB (Andrew Berry) and the front office.

Q: How do you feel about (Nick) Chubb being on the field again?

WATSON: It’d be good to have his presence, his attitude, his mentality out there to help us, and we’ll see how it goes. Hopefully, it’s sooner than later, but, yeah, we’re all super excited for Chubb to be back and just him to be back on the field is definitely awesome.”

Q: Deshaun, as you guys begin preparing for the Commanders, what stands out about their defense that presents you challenges and the offense as a whole? 

WATSON: Yeah, you got to give their defense credit. They’re playing at a high level, doing exactly what they’re asking to do in that scheme. You know the front is definitely very aggressive, very impressive. I mean, everyone knows about (Daron) Payne and Jonathan (Allen) and (Dante) Fowler and (Clelin) Ferrell whenever he’s healthy. And you got (Bobby) Wagner, who’s a vet, who’s controlling the middle, and then you got a nice young secondary that are playing at a high level. So, you can tell that they’re playing confident. We got to make sure we’re locked in on our tasks so we can try to create anything positive and get points on the board.

Q: Deshaun, you guys have been very good on your first scripted drive of the game on offense, but it seems like there’s just a rapid decline in mentality and game plan right after that. What do you attribute that to?

WATSON: First off, I don’t think the mentality changes or anything like that. People got to make adjustments. Not every drive is going to be positive and going to end up in points. That’s what we hope for, but, you know, it’s hard to do in the NFL. So, yeah, the first drive, we start off fast. We just got to continue to keep pushing forward and doing what we’re doing and build off that confidence and that momentum that we have on that first drive. And if we can do that, then we can create some more positivity on the offense and more points. So that’s that. We just got to continue to play each and every drive like it’s that final drive that we need some points.”

Q: Deshaun, obviously, you won’t go up against him directly, but obviously a lot has been said about Jayden Daniels and the start to his rookie campaign, just what he’s done. Just what have you noticed about his game that’s kind of impressed you from one quarterback to another?

WATSON: Yeah, I mean, you can tell when he steps on the field, he’s confident in what they’re running, he’s confident with the guys that he has around, and he’s playing free. Super, super, exciting guy to watch. I mean I’ve known him since high school. We trained a little bit when he was out in Arizona at Arizona State, and when he went to Arizona State, then he went to LSU. So, we have history, and he’s definitely having a start to a great campaign for his NFL career. So, playing at a high level, he’s got those guys rolling and you can tell that the team is supporting him and behind him.”

Q: Deshaun, I know you had that one season in Houston where you guys started 1-3 then went on a roll. What did you learn, I guess by going through that, and do you see the similar capability in this team now to pull off the run after the slow start?

WATSON: No, I mean, I don’t try to… Every year is different, every team is different. So, I don’t try to look back on anything back in Houston or previous years. I leave that to the media and things like that to you guys. But for me, for this year, we just got to continue to take it one week at a time. The games are there, the opportunities are there, we got to capitalize on them. So, September football is done, but each and every time we get through a month — October is going to be a big task for us to be able to get back on that even balance on the win chart. And then get ready for November and December. But we got to take it one week at a time and focus on this game and trying to get on that win chart so we can build off that momentum.

Cleveland Browns Practice Report – Wednesday, Oct. 2 https://t.co/rhE6b6h3oH

— Cleveland Browns On SI (@CLEBrownsOnSI) October 2, 2024

Q: Deshaun, I know in the spring you talked about just the time and getting the reps back because of all the time that you’ve missed because of injury and whatnot. Through these first four games, in what ways have you gotten more comfortable through these first four games?

WATSON: Just being able to see things, just being able to operate and just playing football. I think that’s the biggest thing, just playing football, getting active, acclimated to the speed of the game and how people are going to defend us and try to defend me. So, I think that’s the biggest thing. And each week, week by week, I plan to continue to have that arrow point up and going in the right direction that I wanted to go.

Q: Deshaun, how much will it help you to have David Njoku back on the field if he can get out there and play on Sunday?

WATSON: I mean, it’d be big for this offense. I think he’s a big part of this system. Exactly what we wanted to do and what we were planning to do with the start of the season. But I know he’s been out for the last couple weeks, and it’d be good to have him back. We’ll see how this week goes, and we’ll definitely be excited if he can make it to the game. So, he’s definitely a big part of this system and what we want to do offensively.

Q: Deshaun, the game is over, I know that you throw to the guy that you see open, but when you find out that Elijah (Moore) only has one target after the game, is that something you kind of file away and say, ‘We need to get him more involved in the weeks moving forward’?

WATSON: I mean, yeah, you have to… You see all that and you kind of figure it out. You know, we definitely want to get his talent to be able to show for this offense and we just got to get with the staff and depending on how the game and the play callings are schemed up. For me as the quarterback, you see those things, but at the end of the day, you got to focus on getting the ball in the right position. You know, you can’t start forcing anything, so you got to let the game come to me and come to him and we see how the game goes.

Q: Likewise, would you like to see Ced (Cedric Tillman)? I don’t know for whatever reason, Ced didn’t have any targets or wasn’t really involved in the game plan too much. Would you like to see him maybe be a little bit more involved?

WATSON: Yeah, I mean, yeah. Again, it goes back to how the game is kind of played out and how they’re scheming up for us and what kind of players are getting called and who’s the first, second read and if I can get back to my third, fourth read, it just depends. I’m trying to find the open guy as soon as possible, get the ball out of my hands so we can create some positivity. So, yeah, I mean, we definitely have some guys that are very talented, and their opportunity is definitely going to come.

Q: When Amari (Cooper) has been so reliable throughout his career, is it shocking when he doesn’t catch the ball and you make a good throw and it turns into an interception?

WATSON: I mean, stuff happens, you know. At the end of the day, sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way. So, at the end of the day, we move on to the next play and he knows that I’m coming right back to him regardless of the situation or what happens. So, we trust in him. I believe in him. I have full 100% trust in Coop and anytime I need to get him the ball and give him an opportunity, usually he makes those plays. So I’m going to rely on that percentage rather than a couple plays that haven’t.”

Q: How do you think he’s handling the release struggles?

WATSON: I mean, I think he’s fine, to be honest.

Q: Dawand talked about, after the game, how you came up to him and just told him that he was the best right tackle in the league and just encouraged him. How important for you was that to kind of come alongside of him in that time of need when obviously a big point in the game, you know, didn’t have the best coverage on that play?

WATSON: Yeah, I mean, Dawand’s a very talented young tackle and he shows a lot of emotion. He has a lot of passion for the game. He wants to be the best and we know that. And we hold each and every person that’s out there on the field to a high standard and he knows that. And I just wanted to make sure that he knows that, as a leader of this offense and one of the leaders of this team, that we love him, and we got trust and faith in him and we just want him to know that we hold him to a high standard. But at the same time, we’re going to support him and we’re not going to get down on him and just focus on the next play. That play is done, it’s over with and go out there and be the best tackler that you can be and that we know you are.”

Q: Is that important for you to kind of lay in to him the way you did and then come back alongside him? 

WATSON: Yeah, I mean, I think it’s very important just as an overall quarterback, not just for him, but for everyone to know that ‘Hey, regardless if somebody has a bad play or go the wrong way or something like that, I’m not going to lose faith.’ I’m not one of those guys. I’m going to need every single one of those guys on the field for me to be productive and be successful, also. We know the talent. Those guys are in that locker room for a reason because we believe in them, and we think that each one of those guys can help us win.

Q: Even though sometimes it looks heated like it did, do you feel like, even with Jameis (Winston) getting involved a little bit, too, is it productive for you guys as team leaders to take it upon yourselves to hold those guys to such a high standard? And if it sometimes looks like it’s tough love, it’s going to look like it’s tough love because you guys are trying to get to where you want to go this year?

WATSON: I mean, of course you’re going to have that. I mean, that’s what family does. We might go back and forth, but at the end of the day, we talk about it, we love each other, and we move on. And that’s part of the game, that’s part of this system. I think the media kind of blows it out of proportion, but it wasn’t anything serious. That’s why no one panicked. That’s why you didn’t see Kevin (Stefanski), or Ken (Dorsey) or any other coaches try to do too much because we know exactly what we need, and that’s what we need. It’s a player-led team. It’s a player-led league and it’s only so much coaches can really do when it comes to that point. So, players got to take over, captains got to take over, and if we get on the same page, we can be special.”

Q: Quick follow up to that, have you guys as an offense thought about any kind of just an offense only meeting to kind of get yourselves together a little bit?

WATSON: No, we’ve been doing that. Yeah, so there’s nothing else that everyone doesn’t know or anything like that. So, we’ve done that. That’s something that we don’t speak about out publicly. We keep that internal.

Q: You mentioned keeping your focus on the receivers, the pass catchers, as you have. What would you say is the state of the receiving talent that you have right now through four weeks?

WATSON: I mean, it’s great. I think we have a lot of great talent in that receiver room, and we have a lot of guys that have a lot of opportunities to go out there and make explosive plays. We got to give them chances, and once they get those chances, opportunities, then we all got to capitalize to be on the same page.

Q: So, what’s it going to take to stop making so many self-inflicted wounds?

WATSON: Just lock in.

Q: Do you feel like that’s lacking for the first four games?

WATSON: No, I don’t think it’s been lacking, but, I mean, we got to lock in every single play. We’re not the only team around the league that’s making self-inflicted plays. So, sometimes you can overcome it, sometimes the first couple weeks we haven’t. So, everyone goes through that, not just the Cleveland Browns. So we just got to make sure we’re locked in every single play.

Q: Jerry Jeudy mentioned the other day that he was a little bit tired on some plays and maybe had to miss a few reps. But might you possibly appreciate the fact that somebody is actually trying to come up with something concrete that they can do this week to make themselves better, and if everybody does that, then you guys will be able to get back on track easier?

WATSON: I mean, yeah. At the end of the day, I get what you’re saying, but if we capitalize on that fourth down play and we score, we wouldn’t be having these conversations, you know what I’m saying? So that’s where it’s kind of like, you can play on one side of the line or play on the other side. I mean, yeah, each and every week, we got to find ways to get better. We got to find ways where we’re going to do extra to get over that hump, whatever it is. We can be sitting here 3-1 and none of these questions would be the same. But we can have the same type of things that’s kind of leaking around. You just got to be real with yourself, real with the team, and that’s what we’ve been doing each and every week. Not just because we’ve been coming up short, it’s just that’s how great teams do. And once you figure it out, you build that confidence, all you need is one win to start a streak, and you never know what can happen.”

Q: Deshaun, in basketball, there’s the cliche of a guy’s slumping. Sometimes it just takes seeing the ball go through the hoop, and they can get in rhythm. So, to relate that back to you guys, 1-3 things haven’t gone your way. But what can one win this weekend, do you think, for the offense, for the team, in terms of trying to build something off of it?

WATSON: It can be huge, especially a road win with a hot team like the Commanders. It can definitely start something great, and that’s what we believe. But we got to win today. We got to win Wednesday before we can win on Sunday. And if we can win Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and then go out there and just play free and try to get a W and get a W on the road against a very good Commanders team, then that can really start something, and we can build off that confidence and that momentum. But before we get there, we got to win today.