BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – As a ‘bomb cyclone’ slides down from the north bringing with it snow and artic temperatures, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson isn’t intimidated.
Watson swears the weather forecast is not something he’s focused on or worried about.
“My main job is just going out there and like I said before, executing the game plan and trying to win,” Watson said. “Not so much of what the weather is going to because I can't control that.”
Saturday’s forecast for the Saints game is calling for temperatures around 11 degrees and wind chills below zero with some snow.
Watson had a hard time remembering the coldest game he’s played in, but he has no doubt about where Saturday will rank.
“This is definitely going to be the coldest for sure,” Watson said.
With snow falling in the second half last Saturday, Watson helped engineer a 13-3 win over the Ravens to keep the Browns playoff hopes alive. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 161 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown to Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Those hoping Watson will finally turn it loose and start adding to his career highlight reel again will likely have to wait, at least another week, if not until next year because of the less-than-ideal weather conditions for just letting it rip.
“My main thing is just operating the offense,” Watson said. “So whatever it takes, if it's running the ball 30 times, if it's passing the ball 40 times, whatever it takes to be able to get that win. That’s the ultimate goal. I know a lot of people want highlights and the big shots that people were seeing the last time I played and that's naturally going to come but we can't force that issue and you’ve got to understand that the defense and other teams that we play understand that too.”
With three games under his belt, Watson feels he is starting to grasp Kevin Stefanski’s offense and he explained why it’s the perfect fit for him.
“Just the balance of the pass and the run, and then we have a great front five, those guys up front and the schemes and the way coach [Bill] Callahan coaches those guys and how detailed they are,” Watson said. “And then also just with how he can get the guys, the receivers, especially the ball. Not just one receiver, but just everyone to have the opportunity to get the ball and make plays and be special. So I love the opportunities that we have. I love the way he scheme up the game and we are just going to continue to grow from there.”
Approaching another 1k – Browns receiver Amari Cooper is approaching another 1,000-yard receiving season.
“It is a milestone that people respect,” Cooper said. “It is a milestone that people start to view a receiver like, ‘You had a good season.’ Yeah, it is.”
Cooper, who is playing through a core muscle injury, enters Saturday’s game with New Orleans just 68 yards away and it would be the sixth time in eight seasons Cooper hit the mark.
“It's awesome,” Watson said. “I mean, it's a blessing to be able to have Amari and the things that he can do and the things that he's seen and just be able to be that big brother for me, because he's older than me, so I have an opportunity to learn from him and what other quarterbacks he played with was thinking and what he thinks on certain coverages versus certain DBs. And then also for him to be able to talk with the younger receivers and show them the way to be a professional and how to prep for each one of the games. It's awesome to see.”
Tough love – Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer minced no words Wednesday when asked about Cade York missing a 38-yard field goal by a mile wide left.
“NFL kickers shouldn’t kick balls like that, and he knows that,” Priefer said. “I don’t know if it was a loss of focus or the time of the game. There is really no excuse for that type of kick.”
York also missed from 48 in the win over Baltimore.
The fourth-round pick has made 9 of 15 field goals and 15 of 17 PATs at home compared to 13 of 15 field goal makes and a perfect 14 of 14 on PATs on the road this season.
“A tough place to kick. Not making excuses for him,” Priefer said. “We keep talking about how young he is. He knows it is time to step up. He knows that we need him to make those kicks. He knows that when it is 13-3, it is in the fourth quarter and you have a chance to put a team away or at least make it a 13-point game, you have to make those kicks. A credit to Cade is that he is very hard on himself. He never makes excuses ever.”
Appreciate the love – Defensive end Myles Garrett took up for Joe Woods last Thursday amid criticism of the Browns defensive coordinator.
Garrett’s message was clear: the players are just as to blame for shortcomings and mistakes during games this season as Woods is.
“It means a lot,” Woods said. “He is definitely the leader of our defense. I really had no idea honestly that happened. We always just try to put our playmakers and put guys on defense in position to have success. I felt like we have done that better lately, but definitely hear him say that makes me feel confident in what we are doing.”
Despite a rash of injuries – especially at linebacker, the Browns defense has shown improvement over the last two months and if that continues through Week 18, it could help Woods save his job.
“I really give credit to the coaches and give credit to the players,” Woods said. “We have had a lot of guys go down, especially at the linebacker position. They are not waiting for us. You have to get ready. It seems like the weeks get shorter when those things happen or those type of things start to happen, but I really feel like the players have done a good job working with the coaches and spending extra time after the meetings reviewing practice and going over the gameplan. I feel like once those guys get to gameday, they feel comfortable. I think the new guys or the guys we have playing more have done a nice job because of all of those things.”
In the mix – When Watson was fielding overtures earlier this year while in search for a new team, the Saints were among the teams to make a run at him.
“I'm a Cleveland Brown and that's the team I was leaning to,” Watson said. “But I got so much respect for Dennis Allen and all the staff that came to visit me, the players and the owner, she came and visited me and we had a great conversation and talked and have so much respect for each other. I appreciate the New Orleans Saints for the opportunity.”
Watson ultimately chose the Browns a day after eliminating them. Cleveland gave him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract prompting him to waive his no trade clause and the Texans received six draft picks, including three first rounders from the Browns.
Early arrival – With the storm on the way, the Saints advanced their travel to Cleveland. The team is scheduled to leave New Orleans and arrive Thursday.
Injury report – DNP: RB Nick Chubb (foot), DE Jadeveon Clowney (concussion), DE Myles Garrett (illness), S John Johnson III (thigh), RT Jack Conklin (rest); LIMITED: WR David Bell (thumb), WR Amari Cooper (rest/hip), LB Jordan Kunaszyk (hamstring), TE David Njoku (knee), CB Denzel Ward (shoulder), RG Wyatt Teller (ankle); FULL: CB AJ Green (toe), LG Joel Bitonio (rest), WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (rest),
Up next – Practice Thursday
