San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason is tackled by the Browns’ Greg Newsome II (0), Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (bottom right) and Za’Darius Smith during Sunday’s game in Cleveland.
AP photo
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns used the same strategy this week.
Both continued collecting information about throwing shoulder injuries to their starting quarterbacks. Both went to backups in practice. And both debated the long-term health consequences of bringing back the respective faces of their franchises.
Then they went different directions.
While Indy opted to let rookie Anthony Richardson undergo season-ending surgery and handed the reins to Gardner Minshew, the Browns are still contemplating whether to start Deshaun Watson or PJ Walker on Sunday after Watson’s return to practice this week.
Watson was limited in practice Thursday. In this case, that was a positive development for the Cleveland Browns.
Watson tested his injured right shoulder by throwing passes in his first practice in nearly three weeks, moving him closer to possibly starting this week against Indianapolis after missing two games.
Watson has been sidelined with a strained rotator cuff, an injury that has prevented him from throwing with much velocity.
The three-time Pro Bowler couldn’t put any timetable on his return Wednesday, but Watson was back on the field with his teammates for the first time since Sept. 29 as the Browns (3-2) continued to get ready for the Colts (3-3).
As coach Kevin Stefanski and coordinator Alex Van Pelt watched, Watson, wearing an orange No. 4 jersey, threw roughly two dozen passes during the portion of practice open to media members.
After making some short tosses to Cleveland’s running backs and tight ends, Watson grew more confident with each pass and finally threw the ball with more zip. However, he never seemed to fully cut it loose and several of Watson’s passes were underthrown.
Cleveland listed him as “limited” on its injury report.
Simply his return to the field was welcomed by the Browns, who have spent the past few weeks in a sometimes awkward limbo as they waited for him to return from an injury Watson described as “tricky.”
Watson explained he has some small tears in his rotator cuff and said he’s never dealt with anything like it in college or the NFL.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” he said Wednesday. “I want to be on the field.”
As long as there are no setbacks, Watson could start Sunday, and it’s possible Stefanski will announce his QB’s game status after Friday’s practice.
If Watson isn’t ready, veteran P.J. Walker will make his second straight start. Walker, who was on the practice squad at this point a week ago, helped the Browns upset the San Francisco 49ers 19-17 on Sunday.
Watson has made just nine starts in two seasons with the Browns, who signed him to a $230 million contract despite a legal entanglement after he was accused by two dozen women of being sexually inappropriate during massage therapy sessions.
He’s been dealing with the shoulder injury since taking a big hit on a designed running play on Sept. 24 against Tennessee. Watson missed the Oct. 1 game against Baltimore, and following the team’s bye, he didn’t practice at all last week before being ruled out for the Niners.
Before practice, Van Pelt said the plan was for Watson to “make some throws” during Thursday’s workout.
Van Pelt was eager to see how Watson looked throwing, and praised the 28-year-old for staying engaged during rehab.
“He’s been great in the room, very positive last week with P.J. as a starter,” Van Pelt said. “So he’s doing all the right things, but I know it’s tough for him. He wants to be out there worse than anybody.”
Watson hasn’t had a chance to build off his best game since coming to Cleveland. In the 27-3 win over the Titans, he completed 27 of 33 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns.
Cleveland has been leaning on its top-ranked defense in recent weeks, but the Browns need to get their offense going and Watson’s return would help.
“It would be a huge boost,” said wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was the first to indicate Watson would practice. “Deshaun is our guy. At the end of the day, we all know who Deshaun is. We’ve seen all the plays that he’s been able to make throughout his career. It’s just like any other team.
“You’re confident when your starting guy is in the lineup 100%, so it’ll be a huge boost.”
The Colts know both Browns quarterbacks well.
Watson went 2-5 against Indy when he was with the Texans, while Walker spent three seasons of Indy’s practice squad.
What the Colts must figure out is what direction this season will go.
With Richardson out, Minshew in and 2021 NFL rushing champ Jonathan Taylor working his way back into playing shape following offseason ankle surgery, the Colts certainly didn’t look the same last week in Jacksonville. Minshew had been a steadying influence through five games, but was picked off a career-high three times and lost one fumble in a loss to the team that drafted him.
The challenge this week will be rebounding against the league’s top-rated defense. But the Colts’ defense may face an even tougher obstacle — getting it right against who runs the Browns’ offense.
“This team is a good team,” three-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard said. “It’s a good running team and we’ve got to find a way to get some takeaways.”
World champs
The only thing Cleveland’s defense hasn’t tackled is a catchy nickname.
It has been the NFL’s stingiest group through five games, allowing the fewest yards (1,002), yards passing (607), points (77) and first downs (52) and has the best third-down conversion rate (23.1%). Only the 1971 Baltimore Colts and 1970 Minnesota Vikings started the season allowing fewer yards.
And when the defense breaks down the huddle after practice, it chants: “Best in the world!”
“When we lock in, when we play disciplined, complementary football and have a great deal of focus and everything is aligning the way it’s supposed to, we are the best,” said safety Rodney McLeod. “I think for anything in life, you have to speak things into existence and you have to manifest it. It’s just a constant reminder about who we are and what we’re striving to be.”
Missing out
Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart has been an iron man through his first 6 1/2 pro seasons. He has missed only two games and played in 66 straight. But he won’t play Sunday after drawing a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.
“He made a mistake, it wasn’t malicious,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “The eight months I’ve been around him – an unbelievable teammate, great character. He made a mistake.”
Down the middle
Dustin Hopkins has given Cleveland’s special teams the kick it needed.
Acquired from the Chargers in a late August trade, Hopkins has been better than hoped. He has made 12 of 14 field goals, including four of five in last week’s victory, including from 50 and 29 yards in the final 3:21, to beat the 49ers. He has made a kick of at least 50 yards in a team-record four straight games.
“Credit to (Browns GM Andrew Berry) for getting Dustin here,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Really felt like we need a guy and we’re excited to have him.”
New look
Indy will have a new look this week — ditching its traditional white helmets and horseshoe logo for black helmets and a block letter “C” surrounding an outline of the state of Indiana. Other changes include black trim around the sleeves and neck of the jerseys as well as classic block font numbers and a textured blue stripe on the helmet.
