With the talk of the NFL circling around Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson seems to be forgotten as a talented up-and-coming quarterback. For the past two seasons, Watson has continually shown he belongs in the NFL.
Watson broke onto the scene with an impressive rookie season that ended prematurely due to a torn ACL. Before the injury, Watson was on pace to smash rookie records for quarterbacks.
In just six starts, Watson threw for 1,699 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The rookie signal-caller was on pace to throw for 4,500 yards and nearly 50 touchdowns.
Instead, Watson had to watch from the sideline as his rookie campaign came to a screeching halt. That led Watson to come back with a chip on his shoulder in 2018.
Watson would lead the Texans to an 11-5 record—winning the AFC South. Houston would lose their first playoff game but this year things could be different.
In his third season, Watson will have a few questions he will need to answer if he hopes to lead the Texans to their ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl.
3. Can He Continue Improving His Level of Play?
Coming into last season, many believed it would be tough for Deshaun Watson to repeat his success from his rookie season in 2017. Watson would prove the doubters wrong by showing improvements in his game.
His numbers may not have been up to par compared to his rookie numbers but there were adjustments that Watson made that allowed him to be a better passer in 2018. For instance, Watson improved his accuracy in 2018, completing 68.3% of his passes.
In his rookie season, Watson struggled a bit with his accuracy, completing just 61.8% of his throws. It was nice to see Watson make strides with his accuracy and other areas in his second season in the NFL.
But can Watson continue to improve his level of play? He absolutely can and this year he could ascend into the top tier of quarterbacks with another season where we see improvement from the Texans quarterback.
2. Can He Last A Full 16 Games Like Last Year Again?
Last season, the Texans struggled to keep Watson off of the ground, allowing 62 sacks on their franchise quarterback. That can't happen again if Houston wants to keep Watson around for the long haul.
Watson's style of play calls for him to make plays outside the pocket and put his body on the line. Can he survive a whole season again, taking a beating like he did last year?
It's tough to say any quarterback could somehow manage to stay upright after being sacked 62 times in one season. It's remarkable that Watson was able to start in every single game but he's going to have to adjust his game—along with improved play from the offensive line.
Watson will need to protect himself from any unnecessary hits that come when he puts the ball down and runs it. Last year, there were a ton of instances where Watson elected to put his shoulder down instead of sliding or getting out of bounds.
What makes Watson special is his ability to create with his legs but he's going to need to learn to protect himself if he hopes to have a long career in the NFL.
1. Can He Help the Texans Get Over the Hump?
Every team in the NFL with a young quarterback is trying to maximize their chances with a quarterback on a rookie contract. The Texans are one of those teams with Watson still playing on his rookie deal.
Houston knows their window to win with Watson on his rookie contract is closing so they want results—and fast. Since the Texans became an NFL franchise in 2002, they've gone 3-5 in the playoffs.
Furthermore, they have never reached the AFC Championship round in the postseason. Can Watson help the Texans get over the playoff hump?
Everywhere Watson has played, his teams have won games, won more games, and won some more. In college at Clemson, Watson finished with a record of 33-5 as the starter and won the National Championship in 2016.
Last year, Watson had his playoff debut against the Indianapolis Colts and lost the game 21-7. Watson played below his standards, completing just 59% of his passes for 235 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
A 14-point loss was the widest margin Watson had experienced since high school. Now, Watson is hoping to come back with a vengeance and get the Texans further in the playoffs in 2019.
Follow Us
Subscribe