Watson’s potential greatness already on display
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — After Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made a game-winning drive look too easy Sunday afternoon, he trotted across the field to find someone.
Brady, who will go down in history as one of the greatest of all time, made a beeline toward Texans rookie QB Deshaun Watson to say a few words.
“He said, ‘Heck of a game. Keep grinding.’ Keep doing what I’m doing,” Watson said following the Texans’ 36-33 loss.
It’s not the first time Brady has been impressed by Watson, and it certainly won’t be the last.
While Sunday was a loss for the Texans, it did offer several glimpses into what the franchise’s future holds now that it has a starin-the-making at quarterback.
Watson dazzled at Clemson when he led the Tigers to the national championship.
When the Texans pulled the trigger and traded up to draft him No. 12 overall in April, he brought hope to a city that has been waiting for a quarterback.
Houston has been through David Carr, Matt Schaub, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer and Brock Osweiler, to name a few.
They’ve had adequate play at the position at times, but never someone as explosive or exciting as Watson.
Their quarterbacks have lacked mobility, have lacked excitement, have lacked the never-say-die attitude that Watson has already brought in just two starts. He’s the real deal. It’s rare to come across a player who gets better every time you watch him play. That’s what Watson is doing so far with the Texans.
He’s a rookie and has a lot to learn, but his athleticism and instincts are there. Now coach Bill O’Brien is working to mold him into a pro.
“He works hard,” O’Brien said. “He’s a sharp kid. He’s a fun guy to coach. He learns and gets better every day. “He’s a special kid.” He’s special, all right. On several occasions Sunday, Watson found ways to escape defensive pressure and make something happen.
The Texans were the clear underdogs at Gillette Stadium — a place where opposing teams (especially those featuring rookie quarterbacks) don’t fare well — but Watson never seemed fazed. His energy level never subsided.
The defense never quite figured out how to stop him.
“He’s tough, man,” Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty said. “When you’re in the secondary, you look back there and it looks like you got him a couple times, and then he breaks out, he goes left, he goes right.
“That guy is going to be a great quarterback.”
McCourty wasn’t the only one who was awed by the rookie’s play.
“That dude is a slippery quarterback,” Patriots defensive lineman Alan Branch said.
Watson is going to bring a lot to the table. And he has the potential to do it for a long time. That’s what is most exciting about him, and has been since the day he was drafted.
The Texans have never had a quarterback to pin their hopes on.
Watson is the kind of player you can build your franchise around for years to come.
Because of his age, you had to wonder how long the adjustments would take.
On Sunday, it was clear they are happening quickly.
He needed to trust his instincts more. Now, he easily escapes from the pocket.
He needed to become more comfortable with his receiving corps. Sunday, he connected with eight different receivers.
Every time he’s needed to fix a part of his game, he has.
He will get better. He will get more comfortable. He will continue to turn into a franchise quarterback.
And it’s going to be exciting to watch it happen.