Hoping to provide a jolly good show
Getting victory in England still players’ first priority, but spreading NFL brand ranks close second
LONDON — The Texans came to London to defeat Jacksonville at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, and in the process, they want to help spread the NFL brand in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe.
The Texans want fans overseas and a national television audience back home to see they’re good enough to become a Super Bowl contender over the second half of the season. That must start with a victory over the Jaguars that would elevate their record to 6-3 going into their open date.
“This is a lot of guys’ first time overseas, so I think that’s cool in general,” receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. “It being our job, doing what we love to do, that’s even better.
“This is a famous stadium. It’s an honor to play there. I’ve heard of a lot of famous matchups happening in that stadium. I think the only thing that would be better than playing in the stadium is getting a win, and that’s going to be something we’ll be able to tell our grandkids one day.”
The Texans arrived in London on Friday morning. After spending a few hours at their hotel, they practiced at a suburban rugby facility, participated in a promotional appearance with kids and then met with reporters who made the trip from Houston and those covering the game from the greater London area.
“It’s a dope opportunity, not just for me, but this whole team and this organization to be able to have the chance to play in front of the world and in a different environment and a different crowd,” quarterback Deshaun Watson said. “We’re actually looking forward to it.”
During the offseason, Watson travels the world, and he came to London two times before reporting to training camp, one on a promotional trip for Sunday’s game that included an event with kids.
“London was awesome,” he said. “Had a great time, met a lot of different people, actually had the opportunity to go to Wembley Stadium and go into the locker rooms and walk the field.
“Everything was pretty cool. I think the best thing I did was the football camp I put on with the kids out in the countryside. I had a football field, actually watched a football game and people from all over — the Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway — they all flew in for it.”
That’s called spreading the brand — the NFL’s and Watson’s.
Watson becoming familiar with his surroundings, including spending time at Wembley Stadium, could help offset Jacksonville’s advantage of playing its seventh game in London.
Watson knows what he wants to see the Texans do against the Jaguars so the nine-hour flight back to Houston won’t be so disappointing.
“Have fun, don’t make it bigger than it is, try to get a ‘W’ and try to keep the winning streak on track,” he said about earning a second consecutive victory.
Watson was asked what he wants to show British fans watching him for the first time?
“I guess the way I play,” he said. “Deshaun Watson is a playmaker, is a great quarterback, a great teammate, represents this sport the right way and loves to have fun and is very exciting to watch, especially in person.
“It’s a great opportunity for everyone to be able to see that.”
Cornerback Johnathan Joseph, who returns after missing almost three games with hamstring and neck injuries, also made a trip to London to promote the game.
“We want to show the fans we play an exciting brand of football,” he said. “This is a great experience. We (NFL) have a lot of fans around the world. Playing a division game over here against Jacksonville is good for the National Football League. They ( Jaguars) already have a fan base over here.”
As a veteran leader, Joseph had suggestions for his teammates.
“It’s very historic over here with a lot of traditions, and it has so much to offer from a sightseeing standpoint,” he said. “We have to stick to the script and game plan and block out the noise.”
And what did he learn most on his visit to London that he’s telling his teammates?
“About the traffic,” he said. “I told the guys about the traffic. I told them to not go off and stray too far from the hotel and be late to a meeting.”
The Texans planned for months to make this trip as comfortable as possible for the players. They had people in the personnel and administrative sides of the organization working to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Once they reached London on Friday, the players were treated like royalty. They know it’s a business trip featuring their game against the Jaguars. They may wish they had more down time to see the city and revel in its history, but as Bill O’Brien said, they can sightsee in the offseason.
“It’s been a good trip,” O’Brien said. “Guys are being treated very well. We had a nice plane (and) guys were able to sleep. Our operations people did a great job getting us through the airport, getting us (through) customs
(and) getting us to the hotel.
“The operations part of it has been so smooth, I think that helps it be about the game. You’re not really focused on anything else but the game. We’re happy to be here. It’s great for the NFL, and it’s an exciting opportunity for the Houston Texans.”
If the Texans lose to the Jaguars and they’re tied with 5-4 records, the return trip to Houston will seem about twice as long. Fortunately for the players, they’ll get some much-needed time off next week because it’s their open date.
If they beat Jacksonville, they’ll be 6-3 and possibly in first place in the AFC South depending on how Indianapolis performs at Pittsburgh. A victory would make the ride home exhilarating.
O’Brien believes the Texans are prepared to play and focused on the task at hand.
“I give credit to the assistant coaches,” he said. “I give credit to our strength staff, our training staff, our nutrition staff. We spent a lot of time preparing for this trip in the offseason. This is a unique trip, not a normal trip.
“All those people did a great job of preparing us for this trip. We’ll see how it goes. The proof is in the pudding on gameday.”