Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has again found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons. That and more in today’s NFL Notes.
Historic Weekend for Comeback Victories
The Chicago Bears erased a 17-point deficit, scoring the final 24 points of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field. They picked up a touchdown on defense, special teams, a two-point conversion, and three field goals from Cairo Santos to accomplish the feat.
The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins each erased two-touchdown deficits in their season openers against the Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, and the Los Angeles Rams nearly joined the party with an opening day comeback victory but lost to the Detroit Lions in overtime on a David Montgomery rushing touchdown.
In Miami’s comeback victory, wide receiver Tyreek Hill scored an 80-yard touchdown before celebrating it by imitating him handcuffed behind his back, as he was a mere hours before kickoff when he was detained following a traffic violation in Miami.
Browns Quarterback Deshaun Watson Sued (Again) for Sexual Assault and Battery
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has again found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons. According to a report at Pro Football Talk, Watson was sued in Houston for sexual assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Here are details from the suit, which alleges these events occurred on October 10, 2020, while Watson was on a date with a plaintiff described as Jane Doe:
“When Watson finally arrived at Doe’s apartment, Doe had not finished putting on makeup, so she invited Watson in to have a seat in her living room while she finished getting ready. As she was putting on makeup in her bathroom, Doe left the bathroom door open and attempted a conversation with Watson, trying to ease the tension from his angry outburst. Jane Doe quickly began to believe she was talking to herself because Watson wasn’t responding.
“Jane Doe came out of her bathroom to investigate Watson’s silence and shockingly found him completely naked on her bed, lying face-down on his stomach. While Jane Doe stood there in shock, Watson turned his head and aggressively insisted that she massage him, gesturing to his buttocks. Jane Doe asked if Watson meant he wanted her to massage his back, but Watson indicated that it was his buttocks he wanted massaged.
“Jane Doe was at this point in the encounter terrified. She was in her small apartment with a much larger man, and she was still reeling from Watson’s outburst and aggression on the phone. Doe thus tried to appease Watson by rubbing his back, rather than his buttocks. Watson began insisting, again, that she focus on his glutes. Seemingly frustrated that Doe would only rub his back, Watson then turned over, revealing an erection. Watson continued to demand that Jane Doe massage him, gesturing from his knees to his groin. Jane Doe froze in fear, unsure of how to refuse Watson’s advances without jeopardizing her safety. Confused and scared, she reiterated to Watson that she wasn’t a masseuse. Watson asked her what she wanted to do instead.
“Before Jane Doe could answer, Watson grabbed Jane Doe’s leg and positioned her so that she was lying down. Watson then partially disrobed Jane Doe and penetrated her vagina without consent, implicit or explicit. Jane Doe felt paralyzed, unsure if she should risk her safety by trying to stop Watson or endure his assault. Watson roughly sexually assaulted Jane Doe for several minutes in a ‘missionary position’ before grabbing her and flipping her over. Watson continued to assault Doe aggressively from behind. Jane Doe finally gathered the courage and strength to escape Watson. Jane Doe quickly ran to her dresser to grab a heavy piece of décor for self-defense, and yelled at Watson [to] get out of her apartment. Enraged, Watson stormed out of Jane Doe’s apartment.”
Pro Football Talk
Tony Buzbee represents the plaintiff in this case, who has also represented many other women who sued Watson in 2021. As PFT notes, the difference between this case and previous cases is that Watson is expressly accused of sexual assault in this filing. It’s possible that Watson could face new penalties from the NFL under the Personal Conduct Policy. If a suspension is imposed, the Browns could potentially void his remaining guaranteed salary and move on from Watson.
Dak Prescott Celebrates New Deal by Dismantling the Browns
Speaking of Watson, he was on the wrong end of a Sunday thrashing by the Dallas Cowboys. Hours after becoming the NFL’s highest-paid player, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott completed 19 of 32 passes and threw a touchdown in Dallas’ 33-17 victory over Cleveland.
Watson threw the ball 45 times but ended up with just 169 yards and was intercepted by the Cowboys twice in the losing effort. Watson continues to look like a shell of the version of quarterback that we saw in Houston when he entered the league.
Rookie Quarterback Round-Up
Caleb Williams struggled to get anything going behind a Bears offensive line that had a miserable time dealing with the Tennessee Titans’ interior defensive lineman. Still, he didn’t turn the ball over and helped lead the Bears on a crucial second-half drive, resulting in a field goal that trimmed their deficit to four points in an eventual comeback victory.
The last time the Broncos started a rookie quarterback in Week 1 was in 1983, with John Elway. This season’s rookie quarterback, Nix, struggled in his first start, passing for just 138 yards on 42 attempts. Despite a late surge, the Broncos lost 26-20 to the Seattle Seahawks. Nix’s performance was not impressive, with advanced metrics ranking him low among Week 1 rookie quarterbacks.
In Week 1 of the NFL season, Daniels, the No. 2 draft pick, showcased his skills by using his legs to amass 88 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and 184 passing yards. Despite the Commanders’ 20-37 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Daniels displayed promise with a completion percentage above 70, a turnover-free game, and a passer rating of 93.1, the highest among rookie quarterbacks. His advanced metrics, including a 0.14 EPA per dropback rate, also point to a positive performance despite the team’s overall outcome.