Getty Images Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns.
The Baltimore Ravens are looking forward to welcoming new Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson to the AFC North.
The Browns will take on the Ravens on Saturday and Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey is looking forward to seeing Watson, who Cleveland traded for this offseason and is playing his third contest after an 11-game ban.
“We want to give him a not-so-soft welcoming,” Humphrey said. “So, it’s cool to welcome him to the rivalry. Hopefully, it won’t be a good rivalry-welcoming for him.”
Humphrey did have some praise for Watson and understands that it’s not the easiest of tasks to slow him down, especially with limited film on him in a Browns uniform.
“They paid a lot of money to Deshaun and have a lot of faith in him, and he’s obviously one of those top five, top 10 quarterbacks in the league. [There’s] limited film, [and] it’s kind of only heating up, so it’s not really the best time to play him, but we look forward to the challenge.”
Watson acknowledged Humphrey’s comments and is game for the challenge from the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback.
“I just heard that when I walked into the locker room,” Watson said. “Of course, that is the key of the game. They have to do their job to try to rattle me and rattle everyone else around. That is the fun of the game. I love to compete. I love to go out there. They are going to try to rattle me, and I am going to do the same thing.”
Watson Looking to Get on Track After Slow Start
Watson showed some improvement against the Bengals last week but the reality is that they lost the game and those game-changing plays Watson pulled while in Houston were still missing.
“That is the key to the game is just being able to improve each and every week,” Watson said on Wednesday. “This is an improve-it league. You don’t want to kind go down each and every week. Last week was definitely an improvement. Of course, we want to score more points and win the game, but if you speak individually, yeah, it was definitely an improvement, but I have a long way to go.”
The Browns have preached patience with Watson, who had not played a game in 700 days prior to his first start in Houston on December 4.
“Deshaun has not played football games in a very long time. I think with each game rep, he is going to get better and better,” receiver Amari Cooper said. “I think that is going to be a trend that we will all see before our eyes that with every play he is going to get better and better.”
Watson Looking Forward to First Home Start
In his two starts, Watson has thrown for 407 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He’s completing his passes at a 59.4% clip and the Browns’ play-calling has been pretty conservative with Watson under center.
But the matchup against the Ravens will be a little different, with Watson drawing his first start in front of a home crowd.
“My mindset, I am very excited,” Watson said. This is something that is the reason why I picked to come to Cleveland to play in front of the best fans in the world. I have been hearing things, I have been seeing it on TV, I have been seeing it from afar and from different players and from guys who are new to this team this year also, just like myself. They talk about it and the experience so I am looking forward to being able to play in front of them.”
The Browns are a 3-point favorite at home against the Ravens, which is mostly due to Baltimore’s uncertain situation at the quarterback position. Lamar Jackson will likely be out and his backup Tyler Huntley is questionable after leaving last week’s game with an injury. If both are unable to go, it’d be Anthony Brown getting the start.