A Browns 27-0 win over the Arizona Cardinals went how it was supposed to go. The Browns were the better team in almost every area and they went out and proved it in dominating fashion on Sunday.
The defense really set the tone early for Cleveland, holding Arizona to just 21 yards of total offense on 12 total plays through the first quarter of play.
Making his first start since the Indianapolis game, but playing a full 60 minutes for the first time in six weeks, Deshaun Watson got off to a slow start but as the game wore on he looked more and more comfortable, helping the Browns pull away.
There were too many notable moments to highlight them all, but here are the top five plays from the Browns Week 9 win.
5) Dalvin Tomlinson Sacks Clayton Tune
It was a long time coming for Dalvin Tomlinson to have a game like he had Sunday. Tomlinson had 2.5 sacks, four combined tackles and was a force all day long. Granted, he's been that all season it just wasn't showing up on the stat sheet like it finally did against Arizona. The first of his sacks on the day came in the second quarter, with an assist from Myles Garrett for forcing Clayton Tune up in the pocket, right to Tomlinson. What an addition Tomlinson has been this season – take a bow Andrew Berry.
4) Sione Takitaki Interception
There was a moment in the second half where it looked like Arizona had a shot to get on the scoreboard. They had forced Cleveland to punt from their own eight, setting them up in great field position at the 50.
Two plays later, they had crossed into Cleveland territory for just the second time in the game, advancing to the 40-yard line. That wound up being the deepest into Browns territory they made it for the entire game and it was quickly slammed shut one play later, when Takitaki baited the rookie, Tune, into an interception. It was another standout play by the defense, on a day with a long list of standout plays.
3) Deshaun Watson 59-yard Pass To Amari Cooper
This may have been the first throw Watson made where fans, collectively, felt his shoulder was finally healthy. With two minutes to go in the first quarter, Cleveland was looking for an offensive spark after Watson had sputtered on the Browns first couple series.
From their own 28, Cleveland's QB took the shotgun snap, dropped, hitched up and to his left and unloaded a perfect pass to Amari Cooper along the left sideline for 59 yards. It set Cleveland up for their first points of the game and provided Browns fans with a sigh of relief over whether or not Watson was truly ready to return.
2) Deshaun Watson 49-yard Pass To Amari Cooper
This play, goodness gracious. After an uneven first half, Watson pieced together a much more efficient second half and this throw was the cherry on top of it all. It came when the game was already well in hand, but as fans look for signals of the old Deshaun Watson, this one was a bright, blinking sign that he's still in there. Just an absolute dime to Cooper in double coverage down the sideline. If this is foreshadowing of things to come, the Browns offense may be alright.
1) Shelby Harris Strip Sack
No. 2 could have been No. 1, but in terms of impact on the game, this play just simply meant more. Harris, much like Tomlinson, has been an incredible addition to the Browns defensive line, it just hasn't necessarily shown up in the box score. He finally broke through with this strip sack in Week 9, as Garrett snagged the loose ball for one of Cleveland's three takeaways. This entire game was a testament to just how dominant the Browns defensive line has been this year, and it was nice to see Harris breakthrough.
More must-reads: