Deshaun Watson comes alive as Cleveland Browns top Washington Commanders

LANDOVER, Md. — The weather was perfect for New Year's Day. It was also perfect for the Browns offense to finally come alive with Deshaun Watson at quarterback.

Watson threw three second-half touchdowns to help spark the Browns to a 24-10 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. It was one more touchdown pass in two quarters of one game than he had thrown in his first four starts of the season for Cleveland combined.

After a rough first half in which Watson was just 3-of-8 passing for 23 yards, he came alive in the second half. He completed 6 of 10 second-half passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

For the game, Watson was 9-of-18 for 169 yards with the three touchdowns. He finished with a passer rating of 122.5.

The win improved the Browns to 7-9 heading into the season finale next Sunday at Pittsburgh, which kept its playoff hopes alive with a win over the Baltimore Ravens. The time will be announced by the NFL on Monday.

The win also helped to eliminate the Commanders from the NFC playoff hunt after the Green Bay Packers also won later in the day, one week after the Browns saw their own playoff hopes dashed. Washington (7-8-1) needed to win out to have a chance at the No. 7 seed.

Browns let promising first drive go off the rails

After an offsides call on the Commanders, the Browns had a first down at midfield on their first drive. They ended up punting it way from their own 30.

How did that happen? A first-down holding call on Joel Bitonio put the Browns behind the chains, then Watson was sacked by Daron Payne on second down to just send the whole drive off the rails.

Washington quarterback Carson Wentz gives the Browns a gift to set up first score

Sacks were a problem for Watson. The Browns, at least early on, benefitted from Carson Wentz's propensity to throw into coverage.

On Washington's first possession, Wentz threw an out route on third-and-6 from his own 24, in theory to Terry McLaurin. The problem for him was that Browns cornerback Denzel Ward was perfectly positioned to intercept the pass and set Cleveland up at the Commanders 36.

It's Ward's third pick of the season, and second in the last three games. Three points, though, were all the Browns got off the interception after their drive stalled out on the Commanders 19, leaving Cade York to kick a 37-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Browns defensive line stars Jadeveon Clowney, Myles Garrett make critical fourth-down stop

The Commanders moved into Cleveland territory on their second drive because they realized what so many others have known — you can run on the Browns defense.

After Logan Thomas' 11-yard catch converted a third-and-7 to the Washington 36, the Commanders ran the ball on five consecutive plays to set up a fourth-and-1 from the Browns 40. They ran it on a sixth consecutive play as well, but Cleveland's defensive end duo of Jadeveon Clowney and Myles Garrett were there to make the stop.

Washington ran a toss to the left to Jonathan Williams that was initially slowed by cornerback Greg Newsome II, who forced the play back to the right. That's where the two ends dropped Williams for a 2-yard loss and a fourth-down stop.

Browns take points off the board, end up with nothing

Nick Chubb got going on the first two plays of the Browns' third possession, running for gains of 14 and 35 yards to put Cleveland at the Washington 9. The series bogged down at the Commanders 7, where York made a 25-yard field goal.

Washington, though, was flagged for being offsides. That moved the ball to the Commanders 3, where coach Kevin Stefanski elected to take the points off the board and go for it.

Watson was stopped for a 1-yard gain on the re-try of fourth down. That left the Browns with no points for the drive.

Grant Delpit makes another big play for Browns

Third-year safety Grant Delpit has been much-maligned by many this season. However, in the last two games he's come up with big defensive plays.

On Christmas Eve, Delpit made an interception off a deflection to set up the Browns' lone touchdown. On Sunday, he rang in the New Year with a pick of Wentz on a deep post shot.

The interception put Cleveland at its own 47. It ended up punting on the drive.

Commanders control the clock to take a halftime

The Commanders came into the game as the NFL's leader in time of possession. They showed why to end the first half with a 7-3 lead.

Washington started at its own 4 after Corey Bojorquez's perfectly placed punt was downed by D'Anthony Bell. There was 11:48 remaining in the second quarter at the time.

The drive ended with Wentz stretching the ball over the goal line with 21 seconds remaining in the half to give the Commanders the lead. Washington used 21 plays and 11:27 of clock time on the drive.

Browns defense opens the half with big three-and-out

The Browns were hurt against the Saints by the fact New Orleans double-dipped to get scores on the last drive of the first half and first drive of the second. That allowed them to go from 10-0 down to tied at 10-10.

Washington had a chance to do the same on Sunday, basically, after the Browns took a knee on the final first-half play after falling behind. However, Cleveland's defense forced a three-and-out on the first second-half possession by the Commanders.

That stop may have also signaled a turning point in the game. It prevented Washington from gaining momentum, which suddenly shifted to the Browns in a big way.

Amari Cooper continues to thrive on third down

Amari Cooper was held without a catch in the first half. He made his first catch of the game a huge one.

The Browns had a third-and-5 from the Washington 45 on their first possession of the third quarter when Watson fired a strike to Cooper on a deep out route at the Commanders 37.

Cooper slipped the tackle try by cornerback Kendell Fuller near the sideline and ran untouched down the sideline for a 46-yard touchdown to give the Browns a 10-7 lead with 10:03 remaining in the third. It was Cooper's 26th third-down catch of the season, having come into the game ranked fifth in the league in that category.

The eighth-year pro was just getting started.

Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones keep second TD drive alive

Cooper made his 27th third-down catch a big one as well on the next drive. On a similar play, he caught a 26-yard pass on third-and-9 from the Browns 48 to move the ball to the Washington 26.

Three plays after Watson found tight end David Njoku for a 21-yard gain on second-and-19, he connected for his second touchdown pass of the game. This time, it was a 13-yard throw to Peoples-Jones to put the Browns up 17-7 with 56 seconds remaining in the third.

Amari Cooper thrives again on third down

The Browns blew the game open when Watson hit Cooper for a 33-yard touchdown pass with 5:21 remaining. Cooper caught a crossing pattern and outran the Commanders defense to the front right pylon for the score.

Both Browns quarterback, Watson and Jacoby Brissett, helped keep the drive alive with their legs. The first was a 21-yard Watson keeper on second-and-10 from the Browns 25.

The second was a 2-yard quarterback sneak by Brissett, who came in for a fourth-and-1 from the Washington 45. Two plays later, Watson hit Cooper on his third catch for 105 yards, all of them on third down.

Grant Delpit with another big play, part II

Delpit came up with his second interception of the game with 3:11 remaining when he picked off Wentz in the back of the end zone. Both he and Martin Emerson Jr. were blanketing Jahan Dotson on a deep go route, and the safety managed to get his hands on the ball and get his feet in before ending up out of bounds.

The play went to review, but was upheld.

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Deshaun Watson, Browns get win vs. Washington Commanders