Browns beware: Texans might treat facing Deshaun Watson as their Super Bowl
Dec. 3—Houston's record is so pathetic that the Texans could gain an upset victory over the Browns on Dec. 4 and still own the first pick in the 2023 draft.
The Texans are 1-9-1. Three teams, including the Rams — the defending Super Bowl champions — have won three games, but no team has won only twice. The Browns are among 10 teams with four victories.
Kickoff in NRG Stadium in Houston is 1 p.m. The way Deshaun Watson turned his back on the Texans in January of 2021 — before the news of 24 massage therapists suing him for sexual misconduct broke — by announcing he would never play for them again, makes this game like the Super Bowl for the Houston players who still feel betrayed by Watson forcing the Texans to trade him. The Texans are stuck with Davis Mills as their quarterback until they can find someone better in the draft.
"Heading down tomorrow to Houston," Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said after practice Dec. 2. "Have one thing in mind: Getting a victory. Really have to play good football on all three sides of the ball to do that. Really excited about going down there as a team and putting our best foot forward."
Stefanski could make the same statement every Friday — just substitute the name of the opponent. But this challenge is unique because Watson is returning wearing a different uniform to the place where he was a dominant quarterback for four seasons, even though his won-lost record (28-25) didn't match his personal success (104 touchdowns to 26 interceptions) because the talent around him was inferior. The offensive talent around Mills hasn't improved, as Houston's record attests.
The game will be Watson's first regular-season contest in 700 days. Ten of his accusers will reportedly be in a suite belonging to Tony Buzbee — the attorney who represented the 24 women that sued Watson. The complaints led to the NFL suspending Watson 11 games. He was reinstated Nov. 28.
Watson says he doesn't know what kind of reception he will receive from the Houston fans. Protesters are likely to greet the Browns when they leave the team hotel the morning of the game and at the stadium when the buses arrive.
"I'm not sure," Watson said Watson said on Dec. 1 when he spoke to the media at Browns headquarters in Berea. "My main focus is locked in on the game plan and trying to execute it and make sure I'm keeping the standard for the Cleveland Browns so we could try to get a win.
"I'm excited to just play football in general in front of Cleveland Browns fans, but also in front of some of the Houston Texans fans. I respect the whole organization of the Houston Texans. There's been great memories, fun memories. I still have a home in Houston. I still have friends and family that's still in Houston and relationships are still there."
Watson was obviously well-coached by his advisers and the Browns' media relations department before he faced reporters. Stefanski can only hope Watson follows coaching as well on game day.
The Texans, as bad as their record is, have allowed fewer points than 12 other NFL teams, including the Browns. The Texans have yielded 260 points. The Browns have allowed 286. The Texans have intercepted seven passes. The Browns have swiped only three.
