Deshaun Watson — Week 4: The Drive Before the Kick
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Tuesday, Oct 6
Watson completed 24 of 33 for 268 yards, a touchdown and an interception, worth plus 9.2 expected points on 35 pass plays, then went 4 of 5 on the last drive to set up a 56-yard field goal with 15 seconds left. He lost a fumble in the third quarter, in a 27–24 win over the Steelers.
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The full read
24 all against the Steelers, a minute 36 left, first and 10 at the Cleveland 26. Deshaun Watson threw deep middle to Jerry Jeudy for 17. After a false start cost five yards and 10 seconds, he hit Harold Fannin for 12 to midfield, then Jeudy for 10 to the Pittsburgh 40 on second and three, 6.6 points of win probability — the chance of winning the game after the play against before it — and KC Concepcion for six. A sack lost four, third and eight fell incomplete, and Andre Szmyt's 56-yard field goal with 15 seconds left won it. Four of five on the drive, for 45 yards.
The line: 24 of 33, 268 yards, one touchdown, one interception, two sacks, and +9.2 expected points added on 35 pass plays — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position. The biggest throw was 60 yards deep left to Denzel Boston at seven all in the second quarter, to the Pittsburgh 14. The touchdown was third and goal from the two, short right to Fannin, for a 21 to seven lead. The interception came on the second snap of the fourth quarter, up 11, deep middle for Boston, picked off at the Pittsburgh 23 after a pass-interference flag came off on replay review. On third down he threw seven times, completed three and converted two.
On the ground: seven carries for 22 yards, counting two kneel-downs. The 21-yard scramble on third and four, up five with eight 45 left, set up a field goal. The costly one came up 21 to 10 in the third: second and seven at the Pittsburgh 38, up the middle, and Watt forced the fumble and recovered it himself at midfield, −5.7 expected points.
Back in June the preview called Watson a bet on a return, with a healthy tendon and a named starting job as the two things that would settle it. He has been the quarterback in all four games. Thursday was his most passing yards of the four games, and his pass plays came out at +9.2, after +10.4 in Week 2. Four games: 80 of a hundred 15, 855 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions, 11 sacks.
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_Data via nflverse._
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