SMITH: WATSON STILL SHINES.
Watson shines on as positive force teammates can follow as they try to turn around season
His team has the longest losing streak in the NFL.
He’s 3-5 as a professional starting quarterback.
He allowed the final 17 seconds to drip off the clock during another defeat last week, then spent a new week forced to answer questions about racism.
And the one thing about Deshaun Watson that stands out more than ever: His unshakable confidence.
“He’s one of the greatest guys I’ve ever coached. He represents everything that’s right about football, about life,” said coach Bill O’Brien, proudly standing up for a 23-year-old QB who will make his ninth career start Sunday during the Texans’ 2018 home opener against the New York Giants at NRG Stadium.
It has been 308 days since the Texans’ last victory — Cleveland, Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, Sam Darnold and Mitch Trubisky have won since — and you have to go back 343 days to reach Watson’s last W.
Week 6 of the 2017 season against the Browns at NRG. Twenty-four, first-quarter points leading to a 33-17 Texans victory against Kevin Hogan-led Cleveland, with Watson completing 17 of 29 passes for 225 yards, three touchdowns and a 103.4 rating.
Houston has been waiting to see the real Watson since.
Cut short by injury
Anterior cruciate ligament tear. Months of rehabilitation. Constant offseason Q’s about an offensive line that enters Sunday struggling to protect him. Criticism for the first time in a long time, and the winless Texans entering Week 3 of 2018 desperately needing a victory against a squad that could end up as one of the NFL’s worst teams.
Watson has responded to it all with evenness. Self-belief and daily focus. Adamant that everything will work out and insisting that he’s been through much worse in his life, so 0-2 in a 16game season is nothing but another temporary hurdle.
“I tried to take a shot,” said Watson, sounding like an NBA superstar after a last-second 3-pointer fell short.
“I don’t worry about the pressure,” said the No. 12 overall pick of the 2017 NFL draft, when asked about a line that’s given up seven sacks.
Did being winless, after an offseason of hype, make his inner fire burn brighter when he walked into NRG on Monday?
“I keep the same energy,” Watson said. “High quality, come in, try to learn from the tape and then focus on the next opponent. Can’t get ahead of ourselves and can’t look back on the previous games. You got to focus on that day … and try be the best we can.”
Watt’s undivided trust
Unshakable confidence. “I trust him a whole lot. We all trust him,” said J.J. Watt, backing his young QB while replying to an “ignorant” comment.
Watson shined behind a podium Wednesday, raising the public conversation and attempting to unite instead of divide.
“I’m all about love, so I don’t have none of that,” he said. “I don’t focus on none of that. I love all people and that’s what I focus on.”
If O’Brien’s Texans turn this season around, they’ll do so by following Watson’s light.
But two games into a new season, the staff is trying to figure out how best to utilize its primary weapon. Watson ranks third among QBs in rushing yards (84) but is 28th in completion percentage (59.1), tied for 21st with the Giants’ Eli Manning in rating (84.5) and 16th in yards per attempt (7.36). The Texans’ run-first attack and emphasis on extra pass protection has resulted in three catches for speedy back Lamar Miller; three tight ends have totaled six receptions.
Watson has also held on to the ball too long, missed open targets and thrown interceptions into double coverage in back-toback weeks.
A season-opening fumble on a botched handoff to Miller has captured the play of a promising but uneven team that has been unable to get out of its own way.
Spend time around Watson, though, and you see the same highly confident, highly charismatic QB who had long-frustrated Texans fans drooling 11 months ago.
“I don’t have no regret from throwing those (interceptions),” he said. “You live and you learn, shot plays, throwing it to my guy, try to give him a chance. The other team made plays. They get paid just like we do, they’re professional athletes, so we’ll continue to do what we do and whatever O’B asks me to do.”
O’Brien needs to step up
The picks must turn into points and TDs. A key part of Watson’s rookie magic was his downfield wizardry, connecting with DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller on jaw-dropping bombs.
But it’s also on O’Brien and his staff to get the best out of a collegiate national champion who’s oozing pro talent and potential.
“He’s trying to make a play,” O’Brien said. “I’m trying to make a play, so we’re trying to be aggressive there and it just hasn’t worked out. Put the blame on me for that.”
A fan base will awake Sunday and a stadium will fill, waiting to see the real DW4 again.
Watson is too promising — and too confident —- to go another day without an NFL win.
“We don’t stop ourselves and we’re all on the same page, then we’ll be just fine and we can do some things,” he said.