Browns Plainly Podcast

Deshaun Watson spoke for the first time since returning from his 11-game suspension on Thursday. However, the Browns quarterback kept all of his responses focused on the field and not on the last three months. “First off, I just want to say I am excited to be back," Watson said in his first public comments since Aug. 18. "I am excited to be back around my teammates. I also want to thank the Browns organization, the ownership, my teammates in that locker room and all of the coaching staff for all of the support that they had for me, especially my time away. … I also want to thank all of the Cleveland fans and the City of Cleveland for embracing me but also helping me adapt to the community. It has been awesome and it has been great being out, going to dinners and to social places being able to hang out with some of the fans and interact with them. "I also just want to thank everyone that has been sending out some positive energy towards my way. I understand you guys have a lot of questions, but with my legal team and my clinical team, there is only football questions that I can really address at this time."

The personal conduct policy suspension stemmed from allegations through the legal system by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and sexual misconduct during massage appointments. A total of 26 lawsuits — 23 of which have been settled — were filed against Watson, all of them involving incidents that occurred in 2020 and early 2021 while he was still the quarterback of the Houston Texans. One lawsuit was dropped shortly after being filed in March 2021. Watson last talked to the media on the same day he and the NFL reached a settlement on his suspension length. Part of that agreement included going through a clinical evaluation, and then to follow any advised treatment. Watson would not answer the question when he was asked what he learned about himself through the treatment process. He also dodged a question about his message to those who don't believe he should be the face of a franchise in light of the allegations against him.

Watson was originally handed a six-game suspension on Aug. 1 by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson. That suspension would've made his return to the field the Browns' Oct. 23 trip to Baltimore. The NFL appealed that suspension to commissioner Roger Goodell, who appointed former New Jersey attorney general Peter C. Harvey to hear the appeal. Before Harvey issued a ruling, though, the two sides came to a settlement of 11 games. The fact the settlement made Watson's return to Houston also his return to the field has been something that many have found odd. He reiterated what he had said at the time of the settlement, which is that he left the process in the hands of his advisers and didn't have a specific date or opponent in mind for his comeback.

Now, the offense that Brissett led to those heights is handed over to a player who, when he last played nearly two years ago, was considered among the game's best quarterbacks. However, it'll be exactly 700 days since the last time Watson played a regular-season game, meaning there's been plenty of time for rust to accumulate. The only game action of any kind Watson has had since Jan. 3, 2021, was in the Browns' preseason opener at Jacksonville on Aug. 12. He played three series that night, completing 1 of 5 passes for 7 yards. Watson has been practicing with the Browns since Nov. 16. That's not the same, though, as playing in games, which is why he knows questions about rust are inevitable.

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Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson officially took over the first team reps when the Browns took the practice field on Wednesday in preparation for the Houston Texans. How did he look?

Ashley Bastock checked in with Dan Labbe on our Thursday Orange and Brown Talk Podcast to talk about what she saw and heard on Wednesday.

Ashley and Dan also discussed why Watson didn't address the media on Wednesday, which is normally the day the quarterback talks, and why it matters -- at least until he finally does break his silence.

They also got into what the offense will look like with Watson.

Dan wraps up the podcast with his Playoff Committee of 1 rankings for the week.

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Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

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In this episode, we recap the Cleveland Browns win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We also look ahead to the Houston Texans as the Deshaun Watson era begins in Cleveland. How will he look in the first game? What are our score predictions? Take a listen and find out.

Hosted by Craig Fountain and Ryan Angelo

The Dawgs Table is a Cleveland Browns roundtable discussion show brought to you by SB Nation and Vox Media via Dawgs By Nature.

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NFL Week 8 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 32, Cincinnati Bengals 13

Coming off four straight losses, the Cleveland Browns were able to finally pick up a victory, dominating the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals in a 32-13 blowout victory at FirstEnergy Stadium Monday night. The win moved the Browns 3-5 on the season while the Bengals fell to 4-3, as both teams trail the 5-3 Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. Offensive spotlight: Browns QB Jacoby Brissett put together a winning performance Monday night, finishing 17-of-22 for 278 passing yards and a touchdown. Brissett's 12.6 yards per attempt and 94.7% adjusted completion rate on first review were both impressive marks.

Browns RB Nick Chubb and WR Amari Cooper also played a huge part in the team's victory. Chubb continued to show why he's probably the best pure runner in the NFL, finishing with 101 rushing yards and two touchdowns from 23 carries. The Georgia product also picked up five first downs and forced four missed tackles. Cooper totaled five receptions from seven targets for 131 receiving yards and a touchdown en route to a game-high (min. five receiving snaps) 5.24 yards per route run on first review.

Turn on any Browns game and edge defender Myles Garrett is probably the best player on the field — and that proved to be true against Monday night. The Texas A&M dominated as a pass-rushing, posting eight pressures, two sacks and a 32.3% pass-rush win rate. If it weren't for Dallas Cowboys star defender Micah Parsons and San Francisco 49ers edge defender Nick Bosa, Garrett would be the runaway favorite for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award. Bengals rookie left guard Cordell Volson‘s pass-blocking was a bright spot during an otherwise dreadful evening for the Bengals offense, as the fourth-round pick allowed just two pressures across 40 pass-blocking snaps on first review.

The Browns offensive line stifled the Bengals' pass-rush all evening, allowing just two pressures across 26 snaps in pass protection on first review. Cincinnati's interior trio —left guard Joel Bitonio, center Ethan Pocic and right guard Hjalte Froholdt — were notably impressive in pass protection, allowing zero total pressures combined.

Led by Myles Garrett (1.5 sacks) and Sione Takitaki (13 tackles, one sack), the Browns defense shouldered the load early while their offense warmed up. The unit didn't let up once Cleveland's offense got going, as the Browns limited Cincinnati to just one trip inside the red zone while holding Burrow and Co. to just 15 first downs and 4 of 10 on third down. 

The Browns offensive line, despite suffering an in-game injury to Jack Conklin, dominated the Bengals defensive front. The unit -- which received a solid effort from Conklin's replacement, second-year man James Hudson -- paved the way for Chubb, Hunt and the rest of the Browns to run for 172 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries. The line also gave Brissett time to complete several clutch passes that extended scoring drives. 

The Browns head into their Week 9 bye. Cleveland's players may spend some of their bye week packing their suitcases, as four of the Browns' first five games after their bye will be on the road. The road trip starts with games against AFC East foes Miami and Buffalo before wrapping up with these Bengals in Week 14. 

Cincinnati will host Carolina on a short week before going on its bye week. Like Cleveland, the Bengals will have consecutive road games following their bye week. They'll face the Steelers on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 11 before heading to Nashville for a rematch of last year's divisional round thriller. 

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Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will be back on the field on Sunday, returning after nearly two years away and starting for the Browns for the first time against his old team, the Houston Texans.

Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe start Wednesday's podcast by discussing what's at stake for various members of the Browns with Watson taking over at quarterback. They discuss Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry, Dee and Jimmy Haslam and Watson.

Then, Lance Reisland joins the show to look back at the win over the Buccaneers. Dan and Lance discuss the play of Martin Emerson Jr., the work of the defensive tackles and front seven in general and the play of Jacoby Brissett in this game and all 11 games he started.

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Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

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Deshaun Watson will return to the Cleveland Browns lineup on Sunday after serving an 11-game suspension, and head coach Kevin Stefanski is confident that the embattled quarterback "will be ready to roll" against his former team. Stefanski fielded a number of questions about Watson’s ability to perform and connect with the team after the NFL reinstated him on Monday following a lengthy suspension over allegations of sexual misconduct made by more than two dozen women.  

"As you know, we had Deshaun in the building for three weeks but not out on the field with us and then the last couple of weeks out on the field. Next step is obviously being out there taking all of the first team reps," Stefanski said. "He has been doing a nice job getting the defense ready with the scout team reps that he has gotten. I think he has done a nice job with his time away physically, staying sharp and mentally staying sharp so I think he will be ready to roll."

Watson will make his debut for the Browns against the Houston Texans on Sunday after signing a massive five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract in March. He last played on Jan. 3, 2020, but despite his significant time away, Stefanski was adamant that Watson would be ready to go.  "I have confidence in Deshaun based on his preparation. Really, the focus is on him just doing his job. We are still going to be all about the team effort and still offense, defense and special teams. This is never ever going to be about one person. As it relates to Deshaun, I believe in his preparation. I believe that he has worked really hard on a bunch of things to be ready to go." "I certainly get it but can’t really control that," Stefanski said of the concern about Watson’s time away from the field. 

"For me, for Deshaun and for all of our players, just have to keep the focus on doing our job. Think about there are some guys who don’t play preseason football, and they get in there Week 1 and need to get tackled the first time before they are ready to go. I think some of those things may be true, but I don’t want to put anything on Deshaun that I think is unfair for me to say at this point. We don’t know." Watson was accused of being sexually inappropriate with the women during massage therapy sessions while playing in Houston. He was not indicted on criminal charges by two grand juries and reached financial settlements in 23 of 24 civil lawsuits.

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Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski will finally have his franchise quarterback this week when the Browns travel to Houston to take on the Texans. How much pressure is on Stefanski over these final six games?

One of our Football Insiders asked that very question on our Hey, Mary Kay! edition of the Orange and Brown Talk Podcast. Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe discuss all things Watson and the Browns on Tuesday's show.

They also discuss Watson and how rusty he might be in his first game back and who he will help elevate when he takes the field.

Then they get into Jacoby Brissett and where he fits among Browns starting quarterbacks since 1999 and expectations for the season's final six games. Can the Browns still make the playoffs?

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Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3898-ice-flow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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In this episode Garrett Bush of The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, Jeff Lloyd of The Locked On Browns Podcast, and John Kosko of PFF take a look at the Browns vs Buccaneers game and find out which Browns player had an off the chart PFF grade. Did Myles Garrett or Amari Cooper have a great game? Find out in this episode of the Locked On Browns Podcast!

Jacoby Brissett wasn't seeking sympathy and he didn't want any ceremonial sendoff. After all, he's not leaving. The Browns gave him one anyway. Nick Chubb scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 19 seconds left in overtime and Cleveland rallied Sunday to stun Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-17 in Brissett's final start before Deshaun Watson returns from his 11-game suspension.

Afterward, the Browns gave Brissett a game ball before the popular 29-year-old channeled Brady, his former teammate in New England. “I mean this in no disrespect," Brissett said when asked how he felt after the comeback win. "But in the words of Tom Brady, that was (expletive) awesome. That was (expletive) awesome.” Chubb powered through a pile of bodies at the goal line as the Browns (4-7) sent Brissett off with a win as they transition to Watson, who was banned by the NFL for sexual misconduct allegations. He'll start next week in Houston, which traded him to Cleveland in March. So this was a special one for Brissett, who has been invaluable to the Browns during another turbulent season. “I’m obviously grateful for this opportunity and grateful for those men in that room,” said Brissett, who also threw a key block on receiver Anthony Schwartz's 31-yard TD run. “This was a great game to kind of end it on, but we have to stack them.”

Chubb's short TD was set up when Brissett c onnected on a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Amari Cooper, who found himself wide open when Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis III slipped and fell near midfield. The Browns forced OT on tight end David Njoku’s remarkable, one-handed TD catch with 32 seconds left in regulation. Njoku extended his left arm to haul in Brissett's 12-yard scoring strike in the back of the end zone. “I threw it, and I thought I threw it too high and I was about to start crying,” Brissett said. “I saw him pull it down, and I was like, ‘I could have ran up and kissed him.’ Clearly I didn’t.” Brady threw two touchdown passes, but couldn't get anything going in the 10-minute OT as the Bucs (5-6) were unable to keep their momentum going following a bye.

“Seventeen points isn’t going to do it,” Brady said. "It’s been the same thing all year. We’re not scoring enough points. Every play is an individual win or loss, and we’re losing too many. There were too many plays where we were not on the right page, and we’ve got to correct that.” Led by All-Pro end Myles Garrett, who had 1 1/2 sacks, the Browns held Tampa Bay without a point on its final seven possessions.

Garrett played the final minutes of regulation and OT in extreme pain after aggravating a shoulder injury sustained in a car crash. “It hurt really bad," said Garrett, who intends to put off surgery until after the season. “I thought I had broken something.” Brady completed 29 of 43 passes for 246 yards and was sacked three times.

Brissett went 23 of 37 for 210 yards with one TD and an interception. Chubb finished with 116 yards on 26 carries.

Brady opened the second half by completing his first six passes, including a 28-yarder to Mike Evans, who became the first Tampa Bay player to reach 10,000 yards receiving.

The Buccaneers took a 17-10 lead when Brady connected with rookie Ko Kieft on a 5-yard scoring pass. It was the 638th TD pass for Brady, and No. 1 for Kieft, who is listed as the team's fourth-string tight end.

#browns #clevelandbrowns #Bucs #TampaBay #nfl

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On this postgame Orange and Brown Talk podcast, Doug Lesmerises, Mary Kay Cabot, Dan Labbe, Ashley Bastock and Irie Harris break down the Cleveland Browns' 23-17 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that lifted the Browns to 4-7 on the season.

First, Doug and Mary Kay talk about what went right for the Browns and what the win might do for the team, with Deshaun Watson taking over as the starting quarterback next week.

Then (14:39), Dan, Ashley and Irie join Doug to talk about whether Kevin Stefanski thought about going for 2 in the final minute of regulation. Then (16:30) the discussion turns to Jacoby Brissett and how he performed Sunday and in his 11 games as the Browns' starting quarterback.

How much could this win lift the Browns? That's (24:08) the next topic, followed by a brief look at Cade York's missed field goal (33:49).

Then it's the struggles of the offense in the second half (37:00), followed by David Njoku's huge touchdown catch to save the game and how much it swung the emotions around the Browns this week (46:10).

Finally, Irie, Ashley and Dan each put a percentage (52:37) on how much better they think the Browns will be with Watson as opposed to Brissett.

Thanks for listening to the Orange and Brown Talk Podcast.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

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Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3898-ice-flow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Jackson and Anthony recap the Browns thrilling overtime win over the Buccaneers as Cleveland improves to 4-7 on the year and the return of Deshaun Watson looming

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