Playmaking ability that Watson provides a first for this franchise
It is so early. One fake game. Playing with backups against backups.
But I know it, and you know it, and anyone who has lived and died with the Texans in recent times understood it within minutes of watching his preseason debut. Deshaun Watson is different. Franchise quarterback? The answer to everything you’ve been waiting for?
Who the heck knows. I mean, it is early, people.
But the smooth play-action and roll outs. Darting outside the pocket and dancing into free space. Sprinting across the field while locking in on open targets. Doing it all while appearing so electric, instinctive … and calm.
The new No. 4 is already special. And the Texans haven’t had anyone like him in 15 years.
Neither has Bill O’Brien.
Which makes the Tom Savage versus the rookie debate even more interesting, now that we’ve seen in real time just how disparate the team’s two QB options are in 2017.
In the pocket, Savage is slow, methodical and traditional. He openly jokes about his lack of athleticism. One of the reasons he has been injured so often since 2014 is his inability to bounce around. Think Matt Schaub, but even more turtlelike.
Savage also has a strong arm, has spent three years preparing for this moment and did nothing Wednesday night against Carolina to lose his No. 1 spot.
In his first pro pocket, Watson was the antithesis of the teammate he often sat beside during downtime on the bench.
Sharp but fluid. Rapid and elusive. Jumping around like a pinball, then hitting turbo when the sides began to cave in.
“This is professional football, the highest level of this sport. It’s a lot faster — bigger guys, smarter guys. At the same time, I am doing the same thing they’re doing — I’m watching film, trying to play fast, also,” said Watson, who completed 15-of-25 passes for a game-high 179 yards and an 81.9 rating, while running for 24 yards and a touchdown on three carries.
“At the end of the day, it’s still football. You have to go out there, operate and do your job.”
‘Smart and distinctive’
The first-round pick also heaved the ball 65 yards downfield and galloped for a 15-yard touchdown run in his first exhibition.
I remember Case Keenum scurrying around a few times in relief and sometimes running backward to preserve his health. Other than that, Watson is basically the invention of fire for a franchise that has prided itself on classic pocket journeyman vets such as Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Hoyer in recent years, and spent most of 2016 staring in disbelief when 6-8 Brock Osweiler timbered forward for a few extra yards.
“He did what Deshaun does, just go out there and make plays,” said wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, capturing in a few words the dynamics of Watson’s varied attack.
The Texans’ offense — now back in the hands of the team’s coach — changed the second Watson took over.
Play-action. Back-to-back shotgun formations without a huddle. The ball that scores points in the best playmaker’s hands.
Did he misfire on a couple deep throws he should have nailed? Bounce around a little too much in the red zone? Sure.
But Watson gave O’Brien a look he simply hasn’t had the last three years. And now there’s a key question already waiting to be answered: When Watson takes over for good, how much will the Texans allow him to run free?
“He is a smart and distinctive player. First game out there I thought he did some big things,” said O’Brien, who praised Watson’s poise the day after the Texans’ 27-17 defeat, but acknowledged the rookie was “50-50” running the offense the right way.
“It is a big jump from college to the NFL. I thought he handled it pretty well,” O’Brien said. “There are probably a couple of things that we could’ve done differently. He could’ve played a little bit better on certain plays, but overall I thought he handled himself pretty well for his first time out.”
Savage’s 8-of-8 run late in the first quarter, which led to a 16-yard Alfred Blue touchdown run, was set up by the trademarks that defined the Texans’ limited offense last season: tight ends, checkdowns, short- and mid-range passing, running backs. Back-to-back uninspiring three-and-outs also started the evening, and Savage’s slow decision-making didn’t aid a makeshift line clearly missing Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown.
“The ball’s got to come out a little bit quicker,” O’Brien said. “I wouldn’t say that it was just all the protection. It was kind of everybody involved in those first two series of not quite getting it done. Every position.”
The answer is upon us
Watson also took three sacks, struggled with instant decisions, was forced several times to throw the ball away when the end zone was in sight, and is still finding a soft touch on short routes.
But then the action was back in his hands and he was darting around again, reminding us why Rick Smith made Watson the Texans’ first first-round QB since David Carr began it all way back in 2002.
Opportunity. Possibilities. Newness.
At some point in the not-toodistant future, Watson will be ready and O’Brien will have no choice but to promote the answer. When that moment comes, the Texans’ offense must be ready for its new world.