Oct 1, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
HOUSTON — The successful collaboration between Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien and rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson involves plenty of effective communication and marrying collegiate option concepts with a pro-style offense.
This is what’s involved in having a versatile quarterback like Watson, a first-round draft pick from Clemson.
O’Brien and Watson spend a lot of time discussing how to build game plans and adjust on the fly during games to adapt to different defensive schemes. Watson gets input into strategy and some freedom working under O’Brien’s leadership.
“I’ve always listened to players,” O’Brien said. “I think that’s important. I think it’s a two-way street. I’ve always, always listened to players — especially good ones.
“This isn’t a suggestion box. We don’t hand around little pieces of paper and write down what you think we should do, but we do need to know what you’re seeing out there, and especially with the quarterback, ‘Hey look, this might be good, this might be good.'”
The read-option plays with Watson are reminiscent of O’Brien, albeit with a few twists, to things he did at Georgia Tech working with All-America option quarterback Joe Hamilton.
“Look, I coached at Georgia Tech 20-something years ago where we ran the wishbone,” O’Brien said. “We had Joe Hamilton and we ran the wishbone and it was pretty successful. It’s changed since then.
“A lot of the things (Deshaun) did at Clemson, he’s got a more recent understanding of it, so he can sit there with us and go, ‘Well, here’s a couple things I think might be good.’ Well, we can’t do 50 of them, but we can do one of them. We try to incorporate some of those things.”
Meanwhile, Watson’s record-setting performance last Sunday netted him an award Wednesday.
Watson was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Watson is the lone rookie in NFL history to have seven or more passing touchdowns and two or more rushing touchdowns in his team’s first four games of the season.
Watson has passed for 811 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions for a respectable 91.7 passer rating. He’s also rushed for 148 yards and two scores.
Watson is on pace to pass for 28 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and 3,244 yards. He’s on pace to rush for 592 yards and eight touchdowns.
During a 57-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans, Watson completed 25 of 34 passes for 283 yards, four touchdowns and one interception with one rushing touchdown and a 125.0 passer rating.
“It’s a cool honor, but I can’t settle for it,” Watson said. “I just be me. It’s in my DNA. That’s how I was raised, so that’s all I know. Regardless of the success and the failure that you have, always stay level-headed and just be the Deshaun Watson I’ve always been. I don’t do anything outside the lines to try to stay grounded.”
Watson’s five touchdowns in a game is the second most scored by a rookie ever behind Gale Sayers’ six touchdowns in 1965. He became the third rookie quarterback in NFL history with four or more touchdown passes and one or more rushing touchdowns, the first to do since Fran Tarkenton in 1961.
“It’s pretty big, but I always believed that history repeats itself,” Watson said. “So, it was a matter of time before somebody was doing it or was going to do it, so why not me?”
SERIES HISTORY: 9th regular-season meeting. Series tied, 4-4. The Texans beat the Chiefs last season, 19-12, at NRG Stadium.
–The starting job that had previously eluded Texans safety Marcus Gilchrist is now under his control.
Continue to excel, as he did Sunday during a 57-14 win over the Tennessee Titans when he intercepted a pass and had three tackles, and he’ll remain in the starting lineup.
Gilchrist started on Sunday for the first time since joining the Texans, replacing Corey Moore one week after Moore struggled in a loss to the New England Patriots as the secondary allowed five touchdown passes.
“The opportunity to be able to be back out there and be able to contribute for this team is always a plus,” Gilchrist said. “I just want to do my job. This defense has already been good for a number of years. I just don’t want to mess it up and I want to make more plays.”
Gilchrist recorded a sack against the Patriots. For his career, the former Chargers second-round draft pick has 380 tackles, four sacks and 11 interceptions.
“I’ve been playing long enough to understand how it goes,” Gilchrist said. “I’ve been here long enough to understand the defense. That allows me to play a little bit faster.”
–Newly-minted Texans safety Marcus Cromartie arrived in the NFL as an undrafted free agent five years ago.
Since that stint with the Chargers, Cromartie has built an itinerant career that’s included stops with the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks.
With this latest opportunity via a one-year contract, Cromartie is maintaining the same underdog attitude.
“I bring a tenacity, I play with a chip on the shoulder,” said Cromartie, who was signed following an eight-player tryout. “Being undrafted, it’s kind of hard to stick in this league. I’ve done well enough to be in my fifth year and use my experience.
“When I got the call, I was instantly excited. I’m here to learn as much as I can, as fast I can, and keep the flow moving.”
Cromartie caught up with Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt, his former Wisconsin teammate.
“It’s good to see him,” Cromartie said. “I told him, ‘Did you get bigger?’ and he laughed.”
Cromartie has 21 career tackles and two passes defended.
“He’s a really good special teams player and a safety, brings good speed and good toughness to our team,” Texans head coach Bill O’Brien said. “Looking forward to seeing what he can do to help us.”
–The loss of Texans running back and kick returner Tyler Ervin impacts the offense and special teams.
Placed on injured reserve with a torn patellar tendon that required surgery to repair the damage, the former fourth-round draft pick had improved in his second NFL season.
Ervin got injured during a punt return in the first quarter of a 57-14 win over the Tennessee Titans. The former San Jose State standout caught eight passes for 38 yards and rushed for 12 yards on four carries. He averaged 7.6 yards per punt return and 18.6 yards per kickoff return.
“Every time a guy goes down like that, it’s tough,” Texans head coach Bill O’Brien said. “Tyler’s a great kid. He worked very hard to do what we were asking him to do, very conscientious guy.
“I saw him in the training room right before he went in for his surgery. He was in good spirits. He’ll be back.”
–Texans cornerback Kevin Johnson is making steady progress in his recovery from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
However, the starting defensive back remains sidelined in practice. The initial prognosis of Johnson missing four to six weeks remains in effect. He’s been out two games since getting hurt against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Meanwhile, center-guard Kyle Fuller didn’t practice due to a hamstring injury.
Center-guard Greg Mancz returned to practice on a limited basis after missing one game with a knee injury.
“Mancz looked decent,” Texans head coach Bill O’Brien said. “I think he would have a shot to play.”
–Although he’s been playing in the NFL for 13 years, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith remains the archetype of dual-threat passers.
The two-time Pro Bowl selection has completed 76 percent of his throws this season for the undefeated Chiefs, generating 1,067 yards, eight touchdowns with zero interceptions, 89 rushing yards and one score.
Ever since Smith entered the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, his mobility has been a big factor. He’s rushed for 2,067 yards and 14 touchdowns.
During his time in the NFL, Smith has seen the league evolve into one where read option and Pistol plays were regarded as a novelty to become more of the norm with mobile quarterbacks like Texans rookie standout Deshaun Watson.
“It’s something when I first came in the league, I think nobody thought it could happen in the NFL on a consistent basis,” Smith said. “You couldn’t get your quarterback hit. And it’s funny now that it’s just kind of across the league pretty widespread. There’s a ton of teams doing it, that dabble in it here and there situationally. So, funny how that’s changed.”
Watson has passed for seven touchdowns, rushed for two and is on pace to finish the season with 28 touchdowns and 3,244 passing yards. The former national championship game winner and first-round draft pick from Clemson is entering his fourth NFL start Sunday night against the Chiefs.
At just 22 years old, Watson has already made a strong impression on Smith.
“I certainly followed him a bunch in his college career, and obviously that kind of speaks for itself,” Smith said. “To be able to handle all the little things that go into playing as a rookie, certainly hats off to him that he’s been able to do that and playing at such a high level for a young kid.”
NOTES: CB Kevin Johnson (sprained MCL) will miss his third game in a row. …G Jeff Allen (ankle) is slated to start again at right guard. … G Xaxier Su’a-Filo (knee) was limited in practice Wednesday.
