The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Watson, Browns best Ohio rival
Deshaun Watson ran for a touchdown and threw for another, and Cleveland’s defense bottled up Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow — the NFL’S new highest-paid player — as the Browns opened the season with a 24-3 win over the Bengals on Sunday.
Watson bolted for a 13-yard TD late in the first half, making the kind of dynamic play the Browns (1-0) envisioned when they signed him to a $230 million contract in 2022. He missed 11 games last season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Watson is in uniform from the start this season, and his presence has Cleveland expecting big things.
He added a 3-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to tight end Harrison Bryant, and Watson celebrated by skipping down the field in front of Cincinnati’s sideline before converting the 2-point try with a run up the middle.
Burrow had a rough opener, two days after signing a five-year, $275 million extension — giving him the highest average annual salary in league history. The Browns held Burrow to a career-worst 82 yards passing (14 of 31) as Cleveland’s rebuilt defensive line pressured him all day.
Myles Garrett sacked Burrow on fourth down with 10:27 left to help seal Cleveland’s stunningly easy win over the AFC North champions. The Browns forced the Bengals to punt 10 times.
(At) Ravens 25, Texans 9: J.K. Dobbins ran for an early TD before leaving with a leg injury and Justice Hill scored twice in the second half for Baltimore. Lamar Jackson turned the ball over twice and Baltimore (1-0)
looked out of sync for much of its first game with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, the former Georgia Bulldogs assistant. But the Ravens kept Houston and rookie QB C.J. Stroud out of the end zone. The Texans (0-1) made a game of it for a half under new coach Demeco Ryans.
Jackson threw for 169 yards, and rookie receiver Zay Flowers was the main source of excitement for Baltimore’s new-look offense. He caught nine passes for 78 yards.
(At) Saints 16, Titans 15: Derek Carr passed for 305 yards and a touchdown in a difficult but successful Saints debut, and New Orleans held on to beat Tennessee. The Saints’ defense did not allow a touchdown, intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times, sacked him three times, and stopped Tennessee on 10 of 12 third down plays. Chris Olave caught eight passes for 112 yards for New Orleans. Rasheed Shaheed had five receptions for 89 yards and the game’s lone TD.
(At) Commanders 20, Ravens 16: Sam Howell threw a TD pass and ran for a score to make up for two turnovers and the Commanders avoided a season-opening loss in their first game under new ownership. In front of a sellout crowd and with several prominent alumni back to celebrate the start of a new era, the Commanders were sloppy with a pair of turnovers and several penalties along the offensive line that allowed Howell to be sacked six times.
Washington’s defense eventually made game-changing plays. Montez Sweat stripsacked Joshua Dobbs early in the fourth quarter to set up Howell’s go-ahead 6-yard TD run, and Abdullah Anderson recovered another fumble.
49ers 30, (at) Steelers 7: Brock Purdy threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns to Brandon Aiyuk in his return from offseason elbow surgery as San Francisco drilled Pittsburgh.
Christian Mccaffery ran for 151 yards and caught three passes for 17 more for the 49ers.
(at) Baker Mayfield recovered from a rough start to throw two touchdown passes without a turnover in his Tampa Bay debut. Mayfield, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft who landed with his fourth team in three years to take over for the retired Tom Brady, completed 21 of 34 passes after a 3-for-11 start.
Jaguars 31, (at) Colts 21: Tank Bigsby scored the go-ahead TD and Travis Etienne Jr. added a 26-yard scoring run for Jacksonville. The defending AFC South champs snapped a five-game losing streak at Lucas Oil Stadium.