Watson’s mobility creates versatility
Offensive coordinator Kelly plans to use dual-threat QB in variety of ways
Deshaun Watson’s mobility creates chaos for opposing defenses that have to gameplan for the Texans quarterback’s proficiency at avoiding the rush and proclivity for scoring touchdowns.
In 2019, Watson threw 26 touchdown passes, ran for seven TDs and caught a scoring pass. In two games at Kansas City — a 31-24 regular season victory and a 51-31 playoff defeat — he had three touchdowns passing and three rushing.
When the Texans begin the regular season Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium, the priority for the Chiefs’ defense will be containing Watson and not allowing his movement skills to help the visitors pull off an upset against the defending Super Bowl champions.
Watson is playing in his fourth season and still likes to run, but he’s not as reckless as he was in 2018, when he survived a collapsed lung and broken rib on the way to an 11-5 record and an AFC South title.
When the Texans and Chiefs kick off on national television, it’s going to be interesting to see if offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who’s calling plays for the first time, wants Watson to utilize his running skills more.
In 2018, Watson ran 99 times for 551 yards and five
touchdowns. Last season, he had 82 runs for 413 yards. Will he have more or fewer runs with Kelly calling plays?
“Not only is he a threat to throw the ball, but he’s a threat with the ball in his hand,” Kelly said on a recent Zoom conference call. “We’re going to continue to try to find different ways to put the defense in conflict and put him in a position to make plays.
“As a play-caller and with his unique skill set and trying to figure out what plays to run, it puts us in a great situation because he excels in so many areas.”
Last season, Watson’s seven touchdowns rushing tied Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson for second by a quarterback behind Buffalo’s Josh Allen, who had nine.
Watson ran less and got more results. Jackson ran 176 times and Allen 109 to Watson’s 82.
What makes quarterbacks like Watson, Jackson and Allen so dangerous as runners is that so much of what they do is instinctive. They get a lot of yards rushing when their protection breaks down and they take off.
If they don’t know what they’re going to do, how is the defense going to know?
“I’ve always had the natural athletic skills since I (was) little,” Watson said. “I just kind of run and know how to protect myself, what situations I need to use my legs and my feet and when to get down.”
Watson learned the hard way. In 2018, while trying to run for a touchdown in an overtime victory over Dallas, he was drilled going out of bounds, suffering injuries that didn’t keep him out of games but limited what he could do as a runner and passer.
Despite the injuries, the Texans continued to win, eventually building a ninegame winning streak after an 0-3 start.
“The biggest thing is protecting myself when I run the ball,” he said about his evolution as a runner.
Two of the best and most exciting plays of Watson’s career were runs. In his first start as a rookie
— the second game of the 2017 season at Cincinnati — he zigged and zagged through the Bengals’ defense for a 49-yard touchdown in a primetime victory.
Watson, who works hard in the weight room, has deceptive strength that was on display in last season’s wild card victory over Buffalo at NRG Stadium.
The Texans trailed 16-0 late in the third quarter. Watson ran for a 20-yard touchdown and carried three Bills for the last 5 yards. He followed the touchdown by running for a two-point conversion, igniting the come-frombehind overtime victory.
“That Buffalo run was very, very big,” Watson said when asked about his most impressive touchdown runs. “That was definitely a huge one.”
In that victory over
Buffalo, Watson also showed his strength and toughness. He was sandwiched between two blitzing Bills who hit him at the same time, but he was able to spin away and complete a pass to running back Taiwan Jones that set up Ka’imi Fairbairn’s winning field goal.
Beginning Thursday, fans will be able to watch Watson the magician in his fourth season. His coaches will continue to hold their breath every time he takes off.
“We want to make sure (health) comes first and foremost,” Kelly said. “We never want to put him in a position where he’s taking excessive shots. We’re always concerned about protecting him and making sure we keep him as clean as possible, even in situations where he may have the ball in his hand.”
Kelly, Bill O’Brien and assistant quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates caution Watson to go down, run out of bounds or throw the ball away and live for another play.
“Even in practice,” Watson said. “I know I’m not going to run full speed, and no one is going to touch me in practice, but they always tell me to make sure you slide. (They) always give me a heads-up (about) protecting myself. I have to protect myself to help the team be successful.”