What happened: Watson goes into this week's game with attention on whether a strong outing could rebuild support before Cleveland's Week 3 home opener. The Browns are keeping him in the starter's role after naming him the season-opening quarterback in August.

Why it matters: That matters because Cleveland's early-season plan is tied to Watson, and the scrutiny only grows once the schedule turns back to the home crowd. It also comes after Watson won the Browns' starting job ahead of the season and entered the year in the final season of his contract.

What to watch: The next marker is whether Cleveland gets the kind of performance that changes the tone before Week 3. The home opener will give the clearest read on how much ground Watson has made up.