Star quality
Deshaun Watson turns in a “big-boy” effort.
After the Texans exchanged touchdowns and punts with the Patriots in the first quarter, quarterback Deshaun Watson engineered impressive back-to-back drives that proved again why he’s so valuable to the offense.
With the Texans’ feeble running game failing to contribute again, Watson used his scrambling ability to ignite two touchdown drives in the second quarter that helped build an 11-point lead that ended with a 27-20 home victory over New England on Sunday.
For the first time this season, the Texans beat a team other than Jacksonville, and they did it with another outstanding effort by Watson and the best defensive performance of the season.
While the defense was limiting the Patriots’ third-ranked running game to 86 yards, Watson was guiding the offense on five scoring drives, including Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals of 36 and 46 yards. Watson finished with 344 yards, two touchdown passes, one rushing TD and a 121.9 rating.
After his 3-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb had tied the score 7-7 in the first quarter, the Texans found themselves behind 10-7 when Watson started using his feet to supplement his arm.
On an eight-play, 75-yard drive during which Watson completed three of four passes for 52 yards, he also ran three times for 19 yards. He gave the Texans their first lead — one they wouldn’t relinquish — with a hard-earned 4-yard touchdown.
Watson was met at the 2-yard line by safety Devin McCourty and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, and he carried them into the end zone.
Watson’s touchdown run — reminiscent of his 20-yard scoring run in last season’s wild card victory over Buffalo — energized the Texans on both sides of the ball.
“They were all excited,” Watson said about his teammates’ reaction to his touchdown run. “They weren’t surprised, but yeah, they were pumped up.”
About bulling his way into the end zone with McCourty and Bentley draped all over him, Watson said, “I’m not going to do that every week — it just depends on the situation.
“I’ve definitely got to pick my spots. I just reacted and went for it. I kind of took both of those guys into the end zone. Yeah, it gave the whole team energy.”
Tight end Jordan Akins, who had five catches for 83 yards (16.6yard average), was impressed with Watson’s touchdown.
“That was a big-boy play,” Akins said. “It was amazing. He’s stronger than what he looks, I’ll tell you that.”
And what did that “big boy” play mean for the Texans?
“It just fuels us, man,” Akins said. “It shows us his will and his want and his drive to get in that end zone. Everyone comes with that fire. It’s contagious, and everyone catches on, and we got into a rhythm.
“D4 had an amazing game, and he was accurate. He used his legs when he needed to, and he let us make plays for him. We had a really good day.”
The next time the Texans got the ball, Watson took them 80 yards in nine plays. He connected on seven of eight passes for 84 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Keke Coutee, who pulled away from cornerback Jonathan Jones to make the catch in the end zone.
On that possession, Watson had an 11-yard run.
“I just tried to make some things happen,” he said. “(They were) only rushing three, so I tried to make some things work with my legs.”
Because the Texans’ running game is so bad, Watson has had to scramble more over the last four games (31 carries, 160 yards) than his first five (23 for 109). It’s the only way they can move the ball on the ground.
Watson finished with a teambest 36 yards on 11 carries. None of his runs were by design. They were all out of desperation, which is usually the case.
Running backs Duke Johnson and C. J. Prosise combined for 13 carries and 19 yards. They were the victims of poor run blocking, which has been an issue for almost the entire season. Watson has to come to the rescue.
“He makes our offense go,” interim coach Romeo Crennel said. “Sometimes when you’ve got a guy like that who canmake the plays he can make, you don’t have to have a ground game. We were struggling a little with the running game, so we kind of relied on Deshaun in the passing game.”
Which is the way Watson likes it.
“If the run game’s not going the way we want it to go, then we’re going to line up and throw it,” Watson said. “I like to throw it. I like to give the receivers an opportunity to make plays in the air, and once they can catch it, let them make plays with their feet.”
After beating the Patriots to make their record 3-7, the Texans travel to Detroit to play on Thanksgiving. They hope to win consecutive games for the first time, and there’s one thing Akins and his teammates know.
“He can get out of any kind of tackle,” the tight end said, “and the play’s never dead when D4 is in the game.”