<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3JOmRN_0wMywgnz00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3JOmRN_0wMywgnz00" width="1280" height="808" ><figcaption>The Cleveland Browns will start Jameis Winston at quarterback, but what can we expect from him? John Kuntz, cleveland.com</figcaption></figure>CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Achilles injury of <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/deshaun-watson/">Deshaun Watson</a> prompted a question ahead of Week 8: who will replace Watson as the starter?Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Wednesday it would be backup quarterback, Jameis Winston, who led a touchdown drive late in the Week 7 loss to the Bengals.Some outside reactions referred to his starting record of 34-36, or the fact he hasn’t started a game since Week 3 of 2022 with the Saints. Others have noted Winston becoming the franchise’s 39th starting quarterback since its return in 1999.But if there’s one thing to expect from this move, for an offense currently 29th in points (15.6), it’s Winston’s confidence to sling the football.Week 8 NFL Preview: Find everything you need to know with our <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/sports/previews/nfl-week-8/">Week 8 NFL preview.</a>To best display what to expect from a data perspective, we’ll use Winston’s 2021 and 2022 seasons.His last 10 starts came in these seasons. Winston started the first seven games of 2021 before suffering a torn ACL along with MCL damage, then he started the first three games of 2022 before sitting out due to suffering four back fractures.<h2>Deep passing depth</h2>WatsonThe offense was quite conservative with Watson in the pocket, leading to more than enough checkdowns.He finished the season with a 62.5 Pro Football Focus grade on deep passes, which ranks 26th among qualifying quarterbacks.Watson attempted the deep ball 19 times, only completing four for 96 yards (5.1 per completion) and one touchdown.WinstonThere’s no question Winston will let the football rip and live with the result. But at this point in the season, that’s what the quarterback position needs.In 2021 with the Saints, he finished with a 83.9 PFF grade on deep passes, and completed six of his 22 attempts for 273 yards (12.4 per completion), four touchdowns and two interceptions.Winston finished 19th in yards per completion, 20th in deep pass grading, 29th in big time throws (nine), and only had one turnover worthy play on deep passes, per PFF.During those seven games, Winston wasn’t as efficient throwing deep outside right, but somewhat made up for that elsewhere. Especially with four of his 14 touchdowns that season coming deep.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0UA7EQ_0wMywgnz00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0UA7EQ_0wMywgnz00" width="1280" height="864" ><figcaption>Depicted above is the Pro Football Focus passing chart from Jameis Winston's 2021 season with New Orleans. Pro Football Focus</figcaption></figure>What’s interesting is that his numbers are slightly similar to his 2022 season.During his three games in 2022, Winston finished with a 82.4 grade on deep passes, and completed eight of his 19 attempts for 299 yards, but two interceptions.He’d actually improve in both areas through his three games, and further shows his confidence in throwing the football deep.<h2>Air yards</h2>WatsonThe one problem in this offense, intertwining with the selection on passes, was the lack of air yards. The short routes come with little to no air yards on some completed passes.When looking at Watson’s 2024 season, he recorded an average of 4.1 air yards per completion, which currently ties with Jacoby Brissett for 30th in the league.Along with his air yards, Watson just wasn’t one to attempt or complete semi-long passes to keep the series going.WinstonWinston has been consistent in getting some air yards per completion, especially in New Orleans.During his seven games in 2021, Winston recorded 6.2 air yards per completion, and 589 completed air yards, which ranked 36th among qualifying quarterbacks.He’d actually improve in both areas through his three games in 2022, with 8.9 air yards per completion, and 651 completed air yards. The fact Winston did this through three games implies he would’ve increased even further in these statistical areas.And that’s something that would propel this Browns offense going forward, let alone in Week 8.<h2>Third down conversion rate</h2>WatsonThere’s no question the impact the Browns’ lack of third down conversions has had in the long run. They currently hold the league’s worst conversion percentage (23.71%).The Browns often find themselves trapped in a third-and-long, and the short passes from Watson wouldn’t get them far enough to try to convert on fourth down.On third-down attempts, Watson completed 61.7% of his passes for 259 yards (5.5 per completion). That came with more sacks (13) than first downs (11), per The Football Database.Though his season is finished, his 13 sacks on third downs leads the league.WinstonDuring his seven appearances on 2021 on third-down attempts, Winston completed 57.6% of his passes for 282 yards (4.8 per completion), one touchdown and one interception.Watson’s 2024 season featured a higher completion rate (61.7%), but Winston’s 2021 season has him beat in first downs (25) and sacks (eight), per The Football Database.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2yQuDd_0wMywgnz00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2yQuDd_0wMywgnz00" width="1280" height="994" ><figcaption>Between 1994-2021, Winston ranked in the top ten in third-down conversion percentage. The Mile High Report</figcaption></figure>After Winston’s 2021 season concluded, that helped put him in the top five between an <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/2022/8/5/23291803/quarterbacks-convert-third-down-and-those-who-dont">NFL period of 1994-2021</a>, for quarterbacks with a high third-down conversion percentage.Some Hall of Famers in that bunch.Winston had a 75% third-down conversion rate by that point, and it came with 315 first downs.If even a sample of this can come through for Winston to help this offense, that’s an advantage.<h2>Short yardage situations</h2>Not related to passing, but still an important element of Winston’s game.This offense still contains an aggressiveness when approaching fourth downs, having finished the 2023 season top five in fourth-down conversions (18) and attempts (32).Winston’s frame can help in short yardage situations, especially in a quarterback sneak; a favorite of Stefanski’s when his quarterback has a stronger build.Through 23 rushing attempts on third downs with one-to-three yards to gain, Winston has gained 50 rushing yards (2.2 per carry), 14 rushing first downs and one touchdown.Through 11 rushing attempts on fourth downs with one-to-three yards to gain, Winston has gained 23 rushing yards (2.1 per carry) and 11 rushing first-downs.<h2>Looking Forward</h2>There’s been debate all season regarding who’s to blame for the offensive struggles this season. Whether it be Watson’s underwhelming play, the decimated offensive line, the play-calling, etc.But with Winston in the pocket, the offense gets a fresh start with a quarterback who holds confidence in gaining yardage, and keeping a series alive.If the former number one overall selection of 2015 can produce what he did in New Orleans, he’ll make some noise on Sunday.</div></body>

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Will Jameis Winston be more aggressive throwing deep than Deshaun Watson was? By the numbers

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Achilles injury of Deshaun Watson prompted a question ahead of Week 8: who will replace Watson as the starter?. Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Wednesday it would be backup quarterback, Jameis Winston, who led a touchdown drive late in the Week 7 loss to the Bengals.

Will Jameis Winston be more aggressive throwing deep than Deshaun Watson was? By the numbers

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