Pressure? Watson takes cues from best
QB excels with game on line by watching Rodgers, Brady, Brees
Quarterback Deshaun Watson has rallied the Texans to five victories in the fourth quarter or overtime, tied with New Orleans’ Drew Brees for the most in the NFL this season.
Producing under pressure is something Watson thrives on dating to his high school days in Georgia, college ranks at Clemson and now in the pros. Seven of the Texans’ 10 victories have been by seven or fewer points. They’ve won four games by three or fewer points.
When the Texans have a chance to pull out a come-frombehind victory, as they did Saturday against the New York Jets, Watson wants the ball in his hands. Failure is not an option.
“It’s something I take a lot of pride in,” Watson said Wednesday amid preparations for Sunday’s game in Philadelphia.
It’s not by accident that Watson is a magician when the game has yet to be decided. He works at it on the practice field, in meeting rooms and by watching tape. It’s something he has done for years.
“Watching guys like Drew Brees, Tom Brady (and) Aaron Rodgers in situations like that and trying to see what they did to manage those games,” Watson said. “I always try to put myself in their shoes and not just guys that played in the league for a long time. Young guys, too.”
Watson mentioned Patrick
Mahomes and how many big plays under pressure the second-year quarterback has made for Kansas City.
“I don’t watch (a) game just to watch it,” Watson said. “I watch and put myself in those (situations). I want to play this game for long time, and sooner or later, I’m going to be in those positions.” He already has been. “I always try to make sure I’m finding a way to improve my game, regardless of who’s playing quarterback in that situation,” he said about watching others.
There are two quarterbacks Watson watches more than others. Both are destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“A-Rod (Rodgers) because of his poise and being able to make plays with his feet and the confidence he has in his receivers,” he said. “Then, of course, Brady. He’s been doing it forever, and I lived it going against him last year.”
As a rookie in 2017, Watson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns in a 36-33 loss at New England. He helped the Texans forge a 33-28 lead only to watch while Brady threw the winning touchdown pass with 23 seconds left.
In the first game this season, the Texans lost 27-20 at Gillette Stadium. Watson disclosed some valuable advice he got the day before the game from a member of the CBS broadcast crew.
“It was Tony Romo,” he said of the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback. “I did a production meeting with him. He said the biggest thing young quarterbacks have struggled with (and) should focus on is a lot is situational football, situations that come down to the wire.
“Those first three games didn’t go our way, (but) that really stuck with me. Protect the ball, play within the system and be able to make plays when I need to. Then, when it comes down the stretch, take care of the ball and put ourselves in position to win.”
Watson looked back on the second game at Tennessee, when the Texans had a chance to win but lost 20-17. With one minute left, they got the ball at their 25. Watson took them to their 48 but waited too long to throw to DeAndre Hopkins, who caught a 31-yard pass to the Tennessee 21, but the clock ran out.
“I had the ball with 17 seconds left,” he said. “We could have had a chance (to kick) a field goal or get the ball into the end zone (or gone) into overtime.”
Watson’s most celebrated comeback was in Clemson’s national title victory over Alabama after the 2016 season. He threw the winning touchdown pass with 1 second left.
Watson seems to thrive on the big stage. In the 29-22 victory over the Jets at MetLife Stadium, where print and television reporters from the New York area were watching from the press box, the Texans trailed 22-19 with five minutes left. Watson took them 75 yards in seven plays, completing 6-of-7 for 70 yards, including a 14-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Hopkins.
Coach Bill O’Brien spends a lot of time with Watson. He watches a lot of tape of Watson’s exploits. O’Brien listed a couple of attributes that help Watson to excel in pressure situations.
“Poise, that’s No. 1,” O’Brien said. “You’ve got to be able to think the game and think it quickly, so you can’t be a nervous wreck. You’ll have no chance.
“Knowledge of your system, knowledge of your players and knowledge of what you think the defense is going to do. Then, you’ve got to be able to make the throw, get us into the right protection, go to the right people. You’ve got to have good guys around you that are on the same page.
“I think the (most important) thing is the fact he’s been in that situation before, and he’ll be in that situation again. He enjoys those situations, and that enjoyment is pretty rare.”
The more Watson produces under pressure, the more confidence his teammates will have in him in those situations.
“Putting the ball in my hands and giving us a chance to win the game gives them a lot of confidence,” he said. “I’m going to continue to build that trust and respect throughout the locker room.”
And try to produce in the next pressure-packed situation, probably against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.