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Watson's Heroics Put Browns in AFC North Lead
Developing
In Short: Watson's heroics were particularly notable as he threw for 181 yards in the first half, his most in a Browns uniform, and the Browns led 21-10 at halftime.
Deshaun Watson led the Cleveland Browns to a 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, securing his third consecutive game-winning drive.
According to ESPN Research, Watson is only the second Browns quarterback since the 1970 merger to lead a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime of three straight games, joining Brian Sipe.
Watson's heroics were particularly notable as he threw for 181 yards in the first half, his most in a Browns uniform, and the Browns led 21-10 at halftime.
The Browns' 21 points in the second quarter were their most in any quarter since the 2020 Wild Card playoff game against the Steelers.
However, the Browns' offense stalled in the second half, and turnovers from Watson allowed the Steelers to close the gap.
Despite the second-half struggles, Watson orchestrated a final drive that put the Browns in range for Andre Szmyt's 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left.
The win marked Cleveland's third straight after a 24-point road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, giving them their first 3-1 start since 2021 and sole possession of the AFC North for the first time since Nov. 9, 2014.
Watson's performance was praised by the quarterback himself: 'It was electric. It was amazing,' he said.
What's still developing
- Late turnarounds defined Watson's previous two game-winning drives after starting slow.
- The offense stalled for much of the second half, though, and a pair of turnovers from Watson played a role in Pittsburgh being able to erase the deficit.