Shedeur Sanders’ path to another start for the Cleveland Browns looks more difficult after Deshaun Watson led the team to a comeback victory over the Houston Texans. Cleveland erased a 17-point deficit to win 27-24 on Sunday, improve to 6-4 and end a two-game losing streak before its bye week.
Watson completed 25 of 40 passes for 321 yards and led the Browns in rushing with 49 yards and a touchdown. The win came after head coach Todd Monken reaffirmed Watson as the starter earlier in the week.
Sanders had made a strong case for more playing time in the previous game against the New Orleans Saints, throwing for 297 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Cleveland lost 23-22 in overtime after Sanders’ pass to Denzel Boston fell incomplete on a potential game-winning two-point conversion. The performance prompted calls for Sanders to remain in the lineup, but Watson’s latest win gives Monken another reason to stay with his original choice.
Watson’s outing was not mistake-free. He missed a wide-open Jerry Jeudy before halftime, did not leave enough time for a field-goal attempt on that possession and threw an interception. Even so, Cleveland rallied for the victory, continuing a pattern that has helped Watson retain the starting role.
## Monken Had Backed Watson Before the Texans Game
When Monken announced Watson’s return to the starting lineup on Wednesday, he pointed to Watson’s work and record as a starter while also recognizing Sanders’ performance.
“Ultimately, Deshaun’s done a really good job for us. You know, 5-3 as a starter. He’s worked awfully hard to get back. I mean, there’s a high belief in that,” Monken said. “And that’s nothing to take away from Shedeur, because I thought for 10 weeks of really not taking any reps, I thought he did a really good job. And there’s a lot of room for improvement with both of them.”
Before Sunday, Watson had completed 65.5% of his passes for 1,806 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He had also been sacked 33 times. His victory over Houston moved his record as Cleveland’s starter to 6-3.
Watson has now led a fourth-quarter go-ahead drive in each of the Browns’ first six wins. Sanders got his chance against New Orleans when Watson was unavailable after a concussion. With Watson back and Cleveland winning, replacing him simply to give Sanders more evaluation time would be a harder decision.
## Browns Head Into Bye Week With Playoff Hopes Alive
Cleveland’s sixth win also surpassed its projected preseason total of 5.5 victories. The Browns remain in playoff contention despite playing six of their first nine games on the road. They are 4-0 at Huntington Bank Field, and their upcoming schedule gives them a chance to build on that home record.
Following the bye, Cleveland is scheduled to host the Las Vegas Raiders and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza on Nov. 29, the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 6 and the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 13. The Browns’ next road game is Dec. 20 against the New York Giants.
That stretch could give Monken an opportunity to address the team’s slow starts while keeping its postseason hopes in play. With the trade deadline passed, the Browns have four quarterback options. Sanders remains next in line behind Watson, but Cleveland enters its bye with a stronger case for continuity at the position.
