Browns vs. Texans score, takeaways: Deshaun Watson wins first start in 700 days, beats ex-team despite no TDs

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson played exactly like someone starting their first game in 700 days in Cleveland's 27-14 road win in his old stadium against the Houston Texans in Week 13. The controversial passer struggled with rust and timing on his throws, passing for 131 yards and a head-scratching interception in the end zone on 12-of-22 passing. Many of the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback's passes were either underthrown or late on Sunday afternoon, a clear byproduct of sitting out of the 2021 season and missing the Browns' first 11 games this season. 

Watson's turnover highlighted that he's playing a real game for the first time since Week 17 of the 2020 season. Watson threw a ball over the middle of the end zone to Amari Cooper, but Houston Texans rookie safety Jalen Pitre was lurking and easily stepped in front of the pass for an interception. Fortunately for Watson, his former team couldn't get out of its own way, turning the ball over four times -- two interceptions from Texans quarterback Kyle Allen, a fumble by Allen, and a fumble by punt returner Desmond King. Two of Allen's giveaways, his second interception and a fumble on his own 2, were returned for touchdowns. Cleveland Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward casually scooped up Allen's fumble for a 4-yard return touchdown, and linebacker Tony Fields took Allen's second interception back 16 yards for six after a deflection by defensive end Chase Winovich. 

This game was sloppy from the opening kickoff with both teams giving the ball away in the first 12 plays. Texans quarterback Kyle Allen threw a deep interception to Browns safety John Johnson III on Houston's opening drive, and Browns wide receiver Anthony Schwartz fumbled after running a few yards following a 14-yard completion from Watson. Cleveland was also safetied by the Texans after a Nick Chubb run from his own 1 was stuffed following a Houston punt. The difference in the game was the Browns were able to put together some semblance of a drive together in order to get kicker Cade York in position for his two made field goals. 

Odd, but true: the Browns won by 13 despite the Texans scoring the only offensive touchdown, a 6-yard passing touchdown from Allen to wide receiver Nico Collins. Cleveland scored on special teams with Donovan Peoples-Jones' 76-yard punt return and their two defensive scores. Watson clearly needs plenty more reps both in practice and in games with his new teammates before he reminds people of the quarterback who played at a top-five level in the 2020 season. 

Why the Browns won

The Browns defense was absolutely swarming on Sunday, forcing a season-high four takeaways and allowing Cleveland to win the turnover margin 4-2 Sunday. That's a recipe for success more often than not. Getting a special teams touchdown like they did on Peoples-Jones' punt return touchdown is like finding a $20 in your jeans pocket after taking them out of the washing machine. The Browns struggled to find cohesion offensively, but they dominated in the other two phases of football. That'll do. 

Why the Texans lost

The Texans couldn't get out of their own way, committing turnovers early, Allen's interception on the first drive of the game, and in bad spots, Allen's fumble on the Houston 2 that was scooped up by Denzel Ward for a touchdown. Despite being the only team to find the end zone on offense, surrendering a special teams touchdown and two more through a fumble and interception will come back to bite every team. Houston's defense played admirably, holding Nick Chubb under 100 yards and confusing Deshaun Watson in his return. They just needed close-to-league-average offensive play  in order to salvage the above-average  defensive performance. 

Turning point

Leading 7-5 early in the third quarter, the game felt like it could go either way. That feeling evaporated into thin air following Denzel Ward's scoop-and-score after Kyle Allen fumbled at his own 2. With both offenses playing at anemic pace, a two-score edge, 14-5 seemed insurmountable. That ended up being the case. 

Play of the game 

The play of the game was the most exciting moment from Sunday afternoon's offensive slog: Donovan Peoples-Jones' 76-yard punt return touchdown. It's only the second punt return score of the season after the Patriots Marcus Jones' game-winning punt return touchdown in Week 11 against the Jets. It's also the first by a Cleveland Brown since Travis Benjamin in 2015. This score gave the Browns the lead,7-5, which they never relinquished. 

What's next

Deshaun Watson's improvement will need to come fast as the Browns have a matchup with the defending AFC champion Bengals in Cincinnati in Week 14. That's a game that will likely require the offense finding the end zone if the 5-7 Browns hope to win and maintain their faint playoff dreams. The Texans fall to 1-10-1 with the loss and will travel to North Texas to face the Dallas Cowboys next week. They have been eliminated from playoff contention with the loss against Cleveland. 

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The Browns recover the onside kick, and Deshaun Watson wins his first start with the Cleveland Browns against his former team, the Houston Texans, 27-14. He has plenty to work on as many of his passes were underthrows or late coming out of his hand. He finishes with 131 passing yards and an interception on 12-of-22 passing. 

 
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The Houston Texans score the first offensive touchdown of the game, six-yard connection from Kyle Allen  to wide receiver Nico Collins. The two-point conversion is no good, leaving the Browns lead at 13, 27-14, with 1:57 to play. 

 
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Cade York adds a third field goal, so he now has makes from 35, 43, and 42 to give the Browns a 27-8 lead. A tough day for Houston. 

 
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The Texans simply can't get out of their own way today. After forcing a Browns punt, CB Desmond King fumbles the return, and it's recovered by Cleveland. Browns take the field on the Texans 32. 24-8 Cleveland leads with 5:29 left to go in the game. 

 
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Three straight incompletions for Kyle Allen and the Texans punt for the seventh time on their 13 possessions today. 24-8 Browns with 7:46 to go. Deshaun Watson returns to the field on his own 20. 

 
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Cleveland Browns linebacker Tony Fields comes away with a pick-six after defensive end Chase Winovich tipped Kyle Allen's screen pass. 24-8 Browns with 9:30 left to play. 

 
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The Browns add their first offensive points of the game with 9:36 left in the game on a 43-yard field goal by kicker Cade York. The Browns nine-point lead, 17-8, feels too big for the Texans even though it's just two possessions. 

 
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Following the Texans punt, the Browns pick up a first down as Kareem Hunt explodes for 15 on second-and-ten. 14-8 Browns at the end of the third quarter. Cleveland nearing midfield entering the fourth quarter. 

 
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The Browns had an encouraging drive going, finally getting Nick Chubb loose for a few first downs. However, Deshaun Watson gets sacked on third-and-five at the 50, leading to another Cleveland punt. 14-8 Browns lead as the Texans gets the ball on their own 19 with 1:31 left in the third quarter. 

 
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Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn connects on his second field goal of the game, this time from 35 yards out, after Browns hit Houston running back Dameon Pierce behind the line on the third and three toss play. 14-8 Browns with 5:08 left in the third quarter. 

 
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The Browns second touchdown also came on a non-offensive play. Texans quarterback Kyle Allen's fumble on their own two was scooped up and scored by Browns cornerback Denzel Ward for one of the easier touchdowns you'll ever see. Cleveland 14, Texans 5 with 10:10 left in the third quarter. 

 
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However, Watson and Cooper are unable to connect on another third-and-six as Watson throw a dirtball to Cooper, harmlessly falling incomplete before Cooper had a chance to go for the football. 7-5 Browns with 10:47 left in the third quarter. Houston takes possession on their own one after the Cleveland punt. 

 
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Deshaun Watson just made his most impressive throw of the day on third-and-six. He stepped up in the pocket and fit the football between the zone defenders for a 13-yard completion and a first down. Opening drive of the second half, and the Browns lead 7-5. 

 
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The Texans are forced to punt, and the Browns reached as far as their own 37. Through 30 minutes, Cleveland 7, Houston 5. The team with the NFL's worst record, the Texans, woke up to play their former quarterback Deshaun Watson today. He's thrown for 96 yards and an interception on 8-of-14 passing. The box score is kinder than what his play on the field illustrates: a rusty quarterback who is having issues with underthrows and field vision in his first start in 700 days. 

 
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Another Browns drive, another punt. Texans take over on their own 26 with 32 seconds left to play in the half. 7-5, Browns in front. 

 
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More sloppy play. Texans quarterback Kyle Allen fumbles the third and two handoff to running back Dameon Pierce. Unclear if Allen was trying to keep the football on the read option. That forces Houston to punt from the 50 after a loss of four. Cleveland has one last shot to score before the break, starting at their own nine with 1:22 in the half. 

 
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Well, the Browns didn't need Deshaun Watson to take their first lead today. Cleveland wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones just fielded a Texans punt on his own 24 and broke three or four tackles before pulling away for a 76-yard punt return touchdown. 7-5 Browns with 3:41 left in the first half. 

 
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The Texans stuff another Nick Chubb run, this time on a third and two from the Browns 35, another Cleveland punt. The Browns offensive drives have been ugly so far: punt, fumble, interception, safety, punt. Houston leads 5-0 with 5:20 left in the first half.  

 
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Following the Texans' punt, the Browns find themselves back on the one. This time, RB Kareem Hunt got them some breathing room with a seven-yard run. That gain allowed Watson to hit an 11-yard pass to move the chains. Much more room to operate this time around for Cleveland, still trailing 5-0. 

 
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Thanks to the Browns stop on Houston's one, they had to take over on the one. The Texans defense bullied Cleveland's offense line and blew up Nick Chubb's run up the middle for a safety. 5-0 Texans with 11:53 left in the half. Unfathomable start in Houston for the team on pace to earn the number one overall draft pick.  

 
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The Browns hold strong on the goal line against Kyle Allen and company. Houston opted to go with a play-action pass on fourth and one and it fell to the ground thanks to a play from Browns safety Grant Delpit. 3-0 Texans with 12:25 left in the half. 

 
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Deshaun Watson showing more rust, completely missing Texans rookie safety Jalen Pitre as he came over to step in front of Watson's toss toward Amari Cooper in the end zone. 3-0 Texans as they take possession at their own 26 following Pitre's 29-yard return. 

 
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The Texans get on the board first with kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn knocking through a 44-yard field goal. Houston was hindered with a couple penalties, an offensive facemask and a false start. Overcome losing 20 yards on back-to-back plays to get into field goal range thanks to RB Dameon Pierce gaining a combined 11 yards on the ensuing plays. 3-0 Texans seven minutes into the game. 

 
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Another early turnover, this time by the Browns. Deshaun Watson's 14-yard completion is all for naught as wide receiver Anthony Schwartz fumbles the football away. Texans take over on the Browns' 38. 0-0 about five minutes into the game.

 
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Another Texans drive, another punt. It's a little confusing to see both teams go away from their running backs after both picked up seven yards on a first down play by throwing incompletions on their next two plays. Deshaun Watson and the Browns offense takes the field for the second time today. 

 
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Crazy turn of events on the replay review. Browns safety John Johnson III comes away with an INT on a play that looked like a drop, leading to Deshaun Watson's first series as the Cleveland starting QB. After a Nick Chubb run of seven yards, Watson's first two passes both went short of his intended targets, forcing the Browns to punt. The three-time Pro Bowl passer definitely showed some early rust in his first NFL game in 700 days. 0-0 down in Houston one minute into the game. 

 
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Kyle Allen takes the field first in Houston against Myles Garrett and the Browns defense. 

Coming off 30-15 loss in Week 12 at Dolphins (did not cover as 14-point road underdog)

  • Trailed 30-0 at halftime

  • Under 20 points in 5 straight games (2nd-longest streak in team history)

Kyle Allen in Week 12 Loss at Dolphins

Comp/Att 26/39

Pass yds 215

TD-Int 1-2

Passer rating 67.8

>> 1st start of season

Allen: 1-10 SU & 3-7-1 ATS in last 11 starts (6-1 SU & ATS in 1st 7 starts)

Kyle Allen Career

1st 7 STARTS LAST 11 STARTS

SU 6-1              1-10

ATS 6-1            3-7-1

 
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Texans rookie running back Dameon Pierce has eight rushing yards in each of his last 2 games after averaging 85.8 rushing yards per game from Weeks 1-10.

Dameon Pierce This Season

WEEK 1-10       WEEK 11-12

Rush YPG 85.8   8.0

Yds/rush 4.7      1.1

Rush TD 3          0

 
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Nick Chubb has 16 career games with 100+ rushing  yards & 6+ yards/rush, and with another such game today against the NFL's worst run defense, he can tie Jim Brown for the most by player in their first five seasons since 1950.

Most Games With 100+ Rush Yds & 6+ Yds/Rush

First 5 NFL Seasons Since 1950

1957-61   Jim Brown      17

2018-22   Nick Chubb     16 <<

1965-69   Gale Sayers    16

>> Including 3 this season

 
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Nick Chubb's 5.3 career yards per rush ranks as the most in a player's first 5 NFL seasons in NFL history, min. 1,000 rushes.

Most Yards Per Rush in First 5 NFL Seasons

NFL History (Min. 1,000 Rushes)

2018-22  Nick Chubb        5.3

1957-61  Jim Brown         5.1

2016-20  Derrick Henry     5.0

2007-11  Adrian Peterson   4.8

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