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ArticleDeshaun Watson uneven in first start since 2024: Week 1 stats
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Watson did little to silence the critics in his first start back from a torn Achilles. The winner of the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback battle had a rough 2026 debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Watson, 30, threw an interception on his third pass attempt of the game. Other than one nice touchdown throw to rookie Denzel Boston, the quarterback did not improve much from the rough beginning as the Browns lost 34-10.
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Watson's uneven Week 1 return: INT early, 205 yards, 97.7 rating in 34-10 loss

Watson's Week 1 return from torn Achilles was uneven; he threw an interception on his third pass attempt, completed 16-of-22 (72.7%), posted 205 passing yards, 9.3 yards per attempt, one touchdown, and a 97.7 passer rating in a 34-10 loss to Jacksonville. He took five sacks (20 yards lost) including two consecutive sacks in the red zone on third and fourth down that resulted in a turnover on downs. Watson led Browns rushers with 38 yards on six carries (6.3 yards per carry), but the overall performance did little to silence critics after missing the entire 2025 season following a re-torn Achilles.

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