GIVE IT SOME TIME
Deshaun Watson vs. Patrick Mahomes could become a great rivalry, but let’s watch first
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Perhaps years from now, we will look back at Sunday’s Texans-Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium as a classic; one of the great regularseason games in NFL history.
The first matchup between Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes could be extraordinary.
More likely, though, it’ll be just another game. Should be fun to watch regardless.
The declarations that this could be the start of a Tom Brady-Peyton Manning like series is not only premature, but it opens the door for the false narrative that the Brady-Manning games were highlight-anticipated affairs.
When those two eventual Hall of Famers first squared off, no one said that game could be the start of an Elway-Marino rivalry of greatness.
Brady was making his first career start for New England, subbing for an injured Drew Bledsoe. Brady and Bill Belichick may have been the only two people on the planet who knew that day was the start of the Tom Brady era.
Manning had not yet won a playoff game and was about to lead the Colts to a 6-10 record. (And about to throw three interceptions, including two pick-6s in a loss to Brady and the Patriots.)
There is much bigger hype for the Texans-Chiefs because Watson and Mahomes are more accomplished than Brady and Manning were. But even with Mahomes’ MVP in his first full season as a starter, and Watson’s slew of NFL records, they are a long way from being what those superstars have meant to the game.
I’m not throwing shade on the anticipation for this game. We should see some magnificent play.
Ignore the literal truth that they’re not playing “against” each other, because the only time they will be on the field at the same time is for pregame and postgame handshakes.
These two 2017 draft picks, whose teams traded up to get them, are playing against each other all right.
Watson and Mahomes are like jazz musicians, and Sunday’s game is a cutting contest. Fitting then that the game is in a city where so many jazz artists flourished.
Each will downplay it, but I assure you, they will be paying attention to the other’s riffs.
Watson and Mahomes, who are second and third in passer ratings, are special talents, unique in many ways.
That they have been allowed to express themselves in the plays that they make is a testament to how much the game has changed.
It wasn’t too long ago that some of the skills these two innovators display were frowned upon.
The theorem that a quarterback has to be able to throw the ball from the pocket to succeed in the NFL is legitimate. But it doesn’t mean that a quarterback must throw from the pocket exclusively.
That has never been the case, but coaches have been hesitant to expand their minds and playbooks to allow for more improvisation.
Watson’s ability to extend plays by not panicking and throwing the ball away is something that has created huge plays for the Texans. It has resulted in some sacks, too.
Watson was asked if his running around in the backfield requires him to give special instructions to his offensive linemen. Not hardly.
“For them, it’s easy,” he said. “Just keep blocking, I’ll make you right.
“Honestly, I just kind of find something, a whirly bird, a move to the left, to the right, up the middle. It’s just kind of my reaction. I just let my instincts take over, so it’s not so much of them being in a certain spot.
“That’s my job as a quarterback, is to make the offensive line right and get rid of the ball when I need to and make plays with my legs and try to extend plays when I can.”
There was a time that was frowned upon. Not in 2019.
“You have to adapt your system to what that guy can do and what he’s comfortable with and what he’s done in the past, instead of trying to put him in a situation where it doesn’t suit his style of play,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said.
Mahomes might be the best thrower of the football in the NFL. He can deliver it from all angles and is willing to try just about anything to complete a pass.
Brett Favre said on a Peter King’s NFL podcast that Mahomes comes the closest to matching his playing style, but is more polished.
That is high praise.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who was an assistant coach with the Packers when Favre was there, says he sees a lot of similarities between Watson and Mahomes.
“I think when you get down to it, it’s probably the same base fundamentals,” Reid said. “They’ve got great feet, they have great vision and they’ve got leadership ability and aptitude.”
“I think those are all important now and they were important back then, but they understand the wide-open part of football right now.”
Maybe the future of the game — multiple Super Bowl victories and a host of MPV trophies — will be on the field today.
One thing for certain, the right now will be, and that’s exciting to watch.