"Deviants stay home for the playoffs" - NFL fans rejoice as Deshaun Watson-led Browns get eliminated from playoff contention

By Ian Van Roy

Published Dec 24, 2022 21:50 GMT

Deshaun Watson at Cleveland Browns v Cincinnati Bengals

The Cleveland Browns have been eliminated from the NFL playoffs in 2022. The team had hoped to stay afloat with Jacoby Brissett just long enough for Deshaun Watson to arrive and save the day. However, despite keeping playoff hopes or at least a positive record somewhat in range, the new quarterback failed to get above .500 in games he played this season while the playoffs were a factor.

Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson stumbles in final playoff hurrah

The quarterback took the field for the first time this season in Week 13. Since his first snap of the year, he has gone 2-2. While the average did lift the Browns above their below .500 record average under Jacoby Brissett, it fell below what was required to make the playoffs in most years.

With the Watson out of the playoffs, will he play better without the added pressure?

Of course, several games remain, but the quarterback failed to make an instant impression in the way many braced for. Through four games of action, he has thrown for two touchdowns and three interceptions. He has failed to score multiple touchdowns in a game this season.

Of course, Browns fans were quick to point out several drops made by receivers in the contest, but the final record and statline is what fans will remember most. Looking forward, with the team out of the playoff picture, the remaining games will serve as practice for the quarterback.

Browns fans will be looking for a spark down the stretch to give them hope for 2023. If Watson ascends above .500 in 2023, it will be four years since his last season above .500. In his final season with the Houston Texans in 2020, he went 4-12. In 2019, he went 10-5.

Between the end of the 2020 season and his first start for the Cleveland Browns, the quarterback held out of the 2021 season while one of the biggest scandals in the NFL came to light. Roughly two dozen massage therapists came out with accusations against the quarterback, claiming sexual misconduct.

In the first half of 2022, the quarterback spent much of his time settling the lawsuits out of court. For a time, many assumed the quarterback would be going to jail, but that did not come to pass. Instead, he was eventually traded from the Houston Texans to Cleveland, a team that was cooling on Baker Mayfield.

Now, at the effective end of his first meaningful stint with the team, fans are left disappointed. Will they be able to go into 2023 with expectations of grandeur?

About the author

Ian brings with him more than 6.5 years of sports writing experience to the Sportskeeda NFL team. He played offensive line in middle school and high school, and also made it to the top 0% matchmaking ranking in MUT play in Madden.

He possesses the quality of identifying unique story angles from quotes in press conferences, social media and interviews. He assimilates facts for his stories with a lawyer-like precision and verifies each and every piece of information.

Ian admires Peyton Manning for his ability to beat teams with his mind despite not being the best athlete, and is also a fan of Tom Brady. The Denver Broncos are his favorite team, and their Super Bowl 50 win in Manning’s last game is etched in his memory forever. Bill Belichick is his all-time favorite coach.

He has also grown to admire the Los Angeles Rams mainly because he and Cooper Kupp went to the same college, Eastern Washington University, with both finishing their college careers at the same time.

In his career so far, Ian has had the privilege of exclusively interviewing Los Angeles Rams General Manager Les Snead, Kwity Paye of the Indianpolis Colts and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jamari Thrash. When not writing, he likes to play video games and be outdoors.

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