Houston, We Have a Quarterback:
The Unsurprising Rise
of Deshaun Watson
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Anyone who ever saw Deshaun Watson play in college knew the
kid was special. His National
Championship game performances are the stuff of legend, both of them. In two combined NCAA Playoff Championship
games against the powerhouse Alabama program he threw for a combined 825 yards
and 7 TDs. In 2015 he lost narrowly in a
45-40 barnburner. He avenged that loss
last year with a 35-31 come from behind classic. The guy is a born leader with
an undeniable physical skillset and there should have been a lot more hype
around him coming out in last April’s draft.
The reason there wasn’t is because scouts and talking TV heads have been
burned so many times in the past that no one wants to shout any QB’s name from
the mountain tops for fear they become a bust.
No one wants to be the guy on record saying unequivocally that Ryan Leaf
or JaMarcus Russell are going to be the next Joe Montana. So now they downplay or present caveats,
under promise and over deliver on your projections. If they say ‘this kid could be a great one
but needs to work on A, and B,’ instead of ‘this kid will be great’ then they have an escape clause in their
analysis. It’s kind of a chickenshit
way to do your job because every player has areas in their game to work on but
I understand why they do it. Either way
Watson has ‘franchise QB’ written all over him and he’s been proving it week in
and week out since Coach O’Brien handed over the reins to him. In three starts he has 2 wins and one loss
under his belt and that loss was a classic 36-33 duel against the Patriots and
Tom ‘GOAT’ Brady in New England. That’s
not a bad early ROI on the 12th overall draft pick for the Texans.
Last week he exceeded everyone’s expectations both on and
off the field. Early in the week he
donated his first NFL game check to 3 women who work in the Texans’ cafeteria
who were harshly affected by Hurricane Harvey.
So much for the ‘son of a bitch’ NFL player’s character scrutiny put
forth by the president. After his 'good
new neighbor' move off the field he then absolutely balled out on the
field in week 4. He shredded a usually
respectable Titans defense to the tune of 283 passing yards and 4 TD’s in a
57-14 annihilation in front his home crowd.
Talk about endearing yourself to your new community.
This week will be his toughest test to date against the
undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. The good news is
that the game will be in the friendly confines of his home stadium, the other
good news is that between the ‘good QB’ points he’s already banked and the
supreme talent he’s got on the defensive side of the ball, he doesn’t have to
be Superman and throw 4 TDs every week to win games and the Texans’ coaches,
fans and players all know it. Being
afforded patients from the local fan base and coaching staff is a luxury that
not all young QB’s are granted.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote that I fully expected Watson to lead the Texans to a playoff win, just not this season. Watson has since shown me signs that he may
be ahead of that bell curve. At this
point thanks to Andrew Luck being MIA and Marcus Mariota being banged up
and liable to miss time, the only real competition the Texans have in the AFC
South is Jacksonville… Yes you read that last part right. The best asset Watson has shown is his poise in
the big moments which is a rare and invaluable trait for a QB to possess. He proved in college that he shows up the
biggest when the lights are the brightest, and the lights don’t get much
brighter than NFL football in Texas. If the first quarter of season one is any indication, Watson will continue to right by Houston both on and off the field and ownership is sure to renew extra seasons.