Browns Plan to Go Back to Deshaun Watson at QB for Week 10 vs. Texans
Shedeur Sanders threw for 297 yards in his fill-in start at New Orleans, but Cleveland is returning to Watson now that he's out of the concussion protocol
The Browns' quarterback question has an answer. Cleveland plans to start Deshaun Watson on Sunday against the Texans, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Monday, sending Shedeur Sanders back to the bench after one start.
The Browns plan to start Deshaun Watson in Week 10 vs the Texans, per source. Shedeur Sanders filled in Sunday in New Orleans, but returning to Watson was the expected move once he cleared concussion protocol.View on X →
Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN): The Browns plan to start Deshaun Watson in Week 10 vs the Texans, per source. Shedeur Sanders filled in Sunday in New Orleans, but returning to Watson was the expected move once he cleared concussion protocol.
Fowler noted that going back to Watson was always the expected move once he cleared the concussion protocol. Watson went into the protocol last week after reporting delayed symptoms from a helmet-to-helmet hit in the Week 8 loss at Pittsburgh, which opened the door for Sanders to make his first start of the season.
Sanders made it a tougher call than it might have been. He went 19 of 31 for 297 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in Sunday's 23-22 overtime loss to the Saints, hitting KC Concepcion Jr. for a 64-yard score in the fourth quarter and setting up the game-tying field goal in the final minute of regulation. After Harold Fannin Jr.'s 39-yard touchdown in overtime, Todd Monken went for two and the win, and Sanders threw incomplete under pressure. He was also sacked five times.
After the game, Monken praised Sanders but wouldn't address whether he would keep the job. Monday's report settles it for now.
Watson has been the starter all season, going 5-3 with 1,806 passing yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions in eight starts. Cleveland is 5-4 after the loss in New Orleans.
The Texans come to Cleveland on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 10 AM PT. Houston is 3-5 but coming off a 44-22 rout of the Chargers in which its defense sacked Justin Herbert eight times.