JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It may not be enough to silence his critics yet, but it's a start.
After a distressing Week 1 performance that drew the ire of fans and had many questioning his long-term future, Deshaun Watson looked much-improved in Week 2, showing flashes of why the Browns took the massive risk of trading for and paying him. While it wasn't an outing for the history books, it was effective, and was enough to lead Cleveland to an 18-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"The job is to be 1-0 each and every week," Watson told reporters after the game. "After we watched the tape on Monday, we flushed the Dallas game and got ready for Jacksonville."
Moving forward was no easy task, as the Browns' new-look offense looked like a discombobulated mess last Sunday in a 33-17 loss to the Cowboys. Watson's poor play was singled out, as he looked skittish in the pocket while failing to see open receivers and often wildly missing his targets.
But on this Sunday, Watson was much more comfortable, going through his progressions and making more of an effort to release the ball quickly while hitting his receivers in stride. He also extended a number of plays with his legs, and even scored Cleveland's only touchdown with a quarterback draw on the team's opening drive.
The numbers? 22 of 34 for 186 yards and no turnovers. Not bad.
"I'll tell all of them (my receivers), 'Whenever I get outside the pocket, the play's never dead until they blow the whistle,'" Watson said. "'Just keep working with me and I'll find you, and if I can, I'm going to get you the ball.'"
Watson admitted the offense would need to clean up some things, such as penalties and drops that helped keep the Jaguars in the game. He's confident that will happen, though, and knows he has the trust of his teammates.
"It's amazing to have a locker room and a coaching staff and an organization have your back and keep you supported and let you know that you're their leader and you're their quarterback," he explained. "It definitely motivated me to come out here and just play a full game and compete and try to get a W."
Myles Garrett, who played hurt but still had a sack and a number of pressures, concurred.
"He's a leader for a reason, not only because of the person that he is on the field but off the field," Garrett said of Watson. "It's great to see him getting the job, but also excelling, and he will continue to."
Yet Watson's status "off the field" continues to be a cloud over the organization, after a 27th woman filed a lawsuit against him this week. The latest complaint accuses the QB of sexual assault, charges he and his legal team have denied. The NFL is investigating the matter.
"I know who I am," Watson said Sunday in passing reference to the case. "I have a job to do, and that's to play quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and be the best I can be when I step on the field."