How did Deshaun Watson play vs. Texans? Stats, highlights from Browns QB's lackluster return to the NFL

Jacob Camenker

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How did Deshaun Watson play vs. Texans? Stats, highlights from Browns QB's lackluster return to the NFL image

Deshaun Watson made his long-awaited return to the NFL on Sunday. The Browns quarterback faced his former team, the Texans, marking his first game action in 700 days.

Watson missed the 2021 NFL season after demanding a trade from the Texans and being accused in 23 civil lawsuits of sexual assault and misconduct. He was traded to the Browns during the 2022 offseason in a move that was heavily criticized, and then sat out the first 11 games of Cleveland's season after being suspended by the NFL for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

People wondered exactly how Watson would look in his return to the field. Would he pick up where he left off with the Texans, or would he look rusty as he got reacclimated to the NFL?

It turned out to be more of the latter, despite Cleveland's 27-14 victory over Houston.

MORE: Breaking down Deshaun Watson's timeline of trouble

Deshaun Watson highlights from Browns debut

Watson looked like a quarterback who had been out of the NFL for two years. He struggled with his accuracy and the general speed of the game.

Watson was spotty with his throws early. When he missed his receivers, it was often low. Several of his passes skittered off the ground.

Watson eventually got the Browns' offense moving, driving them into the red zone late in the first quarter but Cleveland couldn't convert. Why? Because Watson threw an interception after failing to see Houston's Jalen Pitre floating underneath a Cleveland receiver.

That was Watson's only turnover of the day, but he also failed to throw a touchdown.

In fact, he didn't make many big-time plays during his up-and-down outing. He was supported greatly by his defense and special teams, which combined to score all three of Cleveland's touchdowns.

MORE: Deshaun Watson receives heavy boos from Texans fans

Deshaun Watson stats

A look at Watson's stats from his return to NFL action. His 53.4 passer rating is a career low.

Stat Total
Completion percentage 54.5
Passing yards 131
Touchdowns 0
Interceptions 1
Passer rating 53.4

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.