Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has returned to Sunday's game at Pittsburgh. That follows a helmet-to-helmet hit on the opening drive that sent him to the medical tent. SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell reported that safety Jaquan Brisker hit Watson as he was getting rid of the ball and was flagged for the helmet-to-helmet contact. Dawgs By Nature described a late hit that drew a roughing the passer penalty on an incomplete third-down pass. Two r/nfl posts said Watson was being evaluated for a concussion, and one said he was in concussion protocol. None of the feed summaries we have says how he was cleared.
Shedeur Sanders took over for four plays while Watson was out, per Yahoo Sports and Dawgs By Nature. Our box score for the game credits Sanders with 2 completions on 2 attempts for 2 yards. That total is from a game still in progress and may change.
The score is not in Cleveland's favor. With 9:36 left in the second quarter, Cleveland trails 10-0. Watson is 5 of 7 for 57 yards with no touchdowns. He has been sacked three times for 14 yards and has lost a fumble, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has also lost one. Those two lost fumbles are the Browns' only turnovers, and Pittsburgh has none. Pittsburgh is averaging 6.7 yards per play to Cleveland's 3.6. Jaylen Warren has 81 yards on 8 carries, including a 51-yarder.
Watson's season was already uneven coming in. Through seven games he has completed 136 of 210 passes (64.8%) for 1,482 yards, with 7 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He has been sacked 25 times, a rate that makes Sunday's hit more worrying. His passer rating is 90.6 and his QBR is 43.3.
The stakes are the same as before the hit. Both clubs came in 5-2, and Cleveland held first in the AFC North on the strength of a two-game win streak. The Browns beat Baltimore 13-10 and won 27-24 at Tennessee, both by three points or fewer. Pittsburgh had won three straight, over Indianapolis, Tampa Bay and New Orleans, and sat second in the division.
The next question is whether Watson finishes the game after the concussion evaluation. The outlets we have do not say. Cleveland plays at New Orleans on Sunday, Nov. 8, and Pittsburgh visits Cincinnati on Nov. 15.
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