BEREA ― The Browns weren’t supposed to be here. At least, that’s what was the general thought from most outside of the organization when the season began.
There’s few who envisioned the Browns sitting with a 3-1 record at essentially at the quarter pole of the season. Not only that, but they’re riding a three-game win streak as they head back on the road to face the New York Jets Oct. 11.
The Browns, though, weren’t interested in those thoughts. They had their own reasons to believe in what they were doing.
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“Just the connection, just the chemistry, the belief, the will, the hope, the grit, everything that we put in this off season,” quarterback Deshaun Watson said Oct. 7. “We didn’t listen to anything other than what Coach (Todd) Monken wanted us to build in this foundation, in this room. So we just take it one play at a time, and we always have hope until the game is over.”
That hope’s been rewarded in all three of the Browns’ wins so far. Cleveland been tied or trailed in the fourth quarter of each of the last three games, only to come back to win all three.
There was a rally from 10 points down against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the Browns took them 23 lead with 3:51 left on Watson’s touchdown pass to tight end Blake Whiteheart. Watson hit another tight end, Harold Fannin Jr., with 1:48 remaining to beat the Carolina Panrhers in Week 3.
Five days later, Watson led the Browns to a go-ahead Andre Szmyt 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left after the Steelers had tied the game with 1:42 remaining.
“The game is never over,” Watson said. “So we believe that we can try to go in and win and play with anybody. And I think that’s what helped us find the drive of these last couple games.”
Watson’s play has been a large part of those fourth-quarter comebacks. He’s fifth in the league in fourth-quarter passer rating among those who have started four games with a 118.3 rating.
The 10th-year pro has completed 27-of-36 (75%) of his passes in the fourth quarter for 324 yards, The yardage ranks seventh among all passers, while the completion percentage is tied for fifth.
However, Watson’s legs may be just as important, as he’s netted 75 yards on 13 fourth-quarter rushing attempts. He’s picked up a key third down on a fourth-quarter scoring drive in each of the last three games.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s part of the game,” Watson said. “It’s part of what I do. I’ve always had that. I’ve always made plays in my legs whenever those times come. Coach always preached, he played quarterback, so if you can make it and extend drives and help the team win, then I’m going to do whatever I need to to possibly do that.”
Naturally, what the quarterback does is going to have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the team, especially on the offense. When that team is as young as the Browns are, with an average age on the roster around 25, that confidence can be even more important.
Rookie second-round pick Denzel Boston has been one of the primary targets for Watson in the fourth quarter. He’s been targeted nine times in the fourth quarter, with seven receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown, which happened in the season-opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Those are the most on the team in terms of receiving yards and targets in the fourth quarter. Only running back Quinshon Judkins has more fourth-quarter receptions than Boston with eight catches on eight targets for 50 yards.
“Yeah, I think it’s just constant communication, always talking to each other, seeing what we see through film,” Boston said Oct. 7. “Of course, on the field stuff, we miss something, going back over it, making sure that we hit it after practice or before practice, whenever we have time. And also I think it again just comes down to continuing to build trust, him having an understanding that I’m going to be there where I’m supposed to be when I’m supposed to be there and knowing that he’s going to find me when the time comes.”
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: What’s central to Browns’ 4th-quarter mindset? ‘The game is never over’
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