TEXANS: QB WATSON MAY NEED TO GO ON RUN.
With the Texans’ running game moving like rush-hour traffic on 610West, maybe it’s time to get quarterback Deshaun Watson more involved when they play Minnesota on Sunday at NRG Stadium.
In a 28-21 loss at Pittsburgh, Watson threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns but ran once for 5 yards when he avoided the pass rush.
“I would say that was based more on what the Steelers were doing,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “Deshaun’s always involved in the running game.”
Only twice in his four-year career has Watson run just once in a game, the first being a 2018 victory over Miami when he threw five touchdown passes.
Only twice has Watson run for fewer yards — 2 in a victory over Buffalo in 2018 when he played with a broken rib and collapsed lung and last season when he finished with minus-1 yard in a victory over New England in which he threw three touchdown passes and caught another one.
Watson running once for 5 yards against Pittsburgh wasn’t in the game plan. At least not for the Texans. The Steelers entered the game first in run defense, and one of their goals was to keep Watson bottled up where he didn’t hurt them with his legs as he’s done to so many opponents. They knew he would throw on the move if flushed from the pocket, but they didn’t want him taking off and rushing for valuable yardage.
In the three losses to Kansas City, Baltimore and Pittsburgh, Watson has run 12 times for 49 yards and a touchdown. Most are out of desperation. That’s his fewest carries and yards through the first three games of a season.
As a rookie in 2017, Watson ran 17 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns in his first three starts. In 2018, he ran 18 times for 120 yards and no touchdowns. Last season, he had 15 carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns.
“There were certain plays that were read-type plays where the read told us to hand the ball off,” O’Brien said. “The Steelers did a good job.
“We tried to run it outside. We tried to run it inside. We couldn’t run it anywhere. Pittsburgh did a good job on the edges. They did a good job on the inside. We’ve got to scheme it up better.”
And they need todo a better job against Minnesota. Like the Texans, the Vikings are 0-3 after reaching the playoffs last season.
They lost 31-30 at home on Sunday, despite rushing for 226 yards, including 181 by Dalvin Cook. They average 146.7 yards rushing and allow 147.7.
Overall, the Vikings are 30th in defense, including 26th against the run and 30th against the pass.
If the Texans’ offense is ever going to be in sync for four quarters, Sunday would seem to be the ideal day considering the Vikings’ problems on defense. Minnesota is allowing 93.7 rushing yards a game more than Pittsburgh.
The Steelers did a good job against the run as they always do, but they couldn’t contain Watson and the passing game in the first half. They targeted Watson’s running ability and kept him corralled.
“You play man-to-man versus this guy on possession downs — he could run for 100 yards himself,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. “We thought with guys having vision to break (on Watson), it could help the rush if he was able to escape, and it benefited us some.
“He's got special talents. He presents unique challenges, so we did what we had to do to win the game.”
The Texans ran 15 times for 29 yards, a 1.9-yard average per carry. David Johnson accounted for 13 carries, 23 yards and a 2-yard touchdown.
In the second half, Watson was 5 of 9 for 62 yards with no touchdowns and one interception that the Steelers took advantage of by scoring a touchdown.
“We just mixed some things up with our coverages, and we rushed a little bit differently,” Tomlin said.
What the Steelers did in the first half didn’t work the way Tomlin wanted.
“He (Watson) was fine in escape lanes, not necessarily in an effort to run but in an effort to buy time and break some of our zone coverages down and find open spaces,” Tomlin said. “So, we made minor technical adjustments to both the rush and the coverage, and I think that was the difference.”
The Texans ranked ninth in rushing in 2019 and eighth in 2008. This season, the running game has gotten progressively worse since the season began at Kansas City.
The Steelers threw a blanket over the running game from the first play. Watson helped the Texans lead 21-17 at halftime because they were able to move the ball, but Pittsburgh made adjustments that shut down the offense.
“They had a really good plan,” Tomlin said. “It took us a while to get adjusted to it. They made plays early on in all three phases, and we were trying to find our rhythm. The defense didn't blink. We gave up some possessions early. Sometimes that can put a bad taste in your mouth, but they didn't allow it to spoil the day.”
Instead, the Steelers spoiled the Texans’ day. Now it’s their turn to do it to the Vikings.