Deshaun Watson is making his home debut in a Cleveland uniform.
CLEVELAND — At halftime from FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns lead the Baltimore Ravens 6-3 in a battle of AFC North rivals.
Here are 3 observations from the first 30 minutes of action:
Deshaun report card
In his first home game as a Brown, Deshaun Watson continues to shake off the “rust” that comes from two years of not playing. So far, the quarterback is putting together his best performance in a Cleveland uniform, completing 13-of-18 passes for 105 yards . A lack of touchdowns has kept his passer rating at a relatively average 86.6, but he’s clearly starting to look a bit sharper.
Ravens struggle without Lamar
Former MVP Lamar Jackson remains on the bench with an injury, and while Tyler Huntley is a more-than-capable backup, he has failed to gain traction this afternoon with just 67 passing yards on 9-of-15 attempts. However, Baltimore does have 103 yards rushing on 19 carries, continuing a Cleveland trend of failing to adequately stop the run.
How bout the Browns’ running game?
The normally potent attack has gone silent in recent weeks, partly due to a banged up offensive line. Things have improved today, and Nick Chubb did burst 18 yards to help set up a field goal, but the three-time Pro Bowler is still averaging only 3.9 yards a pop.