Houston Texans: 5 reasons they’ll reach playoffs
1. Deshaun Watson
Making this the number one reason was easy. All I had to do was search up ‘Deshaun Watson’ and I was greeted with articles telling me that if he was healthy the Texans were Super Bowl contenders. Now, let’s unpack that.
In games he started they averaged 34.67 points per game. Even removing the 57 point outburst they had against the Titans, they averaged 30.4 points per game with him starting. Over the course of last year, no team averaged more than 30 points per game. So if we translate the pace that Watson had the Texans on, they would have had the best offense in the league and it wouldn’t have been close.
Last year, he was amazing and his number say so. The numbers from his starts put him on pace to throw for 4,258 yards, 48 touchdowns and 18.67 interceptions. That would’ve given him the fifth-most yards, and the most touchdowns last year.
While the interception number isn’t pretty as only DeShone Kizer would have thrown more, there’s no ignoring that he got the ball in the end zone. Last year’s league leader in touchdowns was Russell Wilson who had 34 … Watson would have had 14 more and his no passing touchdown performance against Cincinnati was included. The interception numbers will decrease as he matures and becomes better at reading NFL defenses but the kid showed he could ball last year.
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For our advanced analytics fans, his 103 QB rating would have just been behind Alex Smith and Drew Brees among quarterbacks who started at least 15 games. Then, for fans of player analysis, even Mr. Smack Talk Jalen Ramsey thinks that Watson is legit. In his well discussed interview with GQ he said:
"Deshaun Watson, he’ll be the league MVP in a couple years. One hundred percent. There’s not even a debate about that. Him and Carson Wentz, for every year starting now until five to ten years, it’s gonna be them two. They’re that good."
Last year’s numbers do nothing to disagree with Ramsey. Watson looks like he has MVP potential and is ready to quarterback the Texans to and through the playoffs this year. Watch out for him to set the league on fire from H-Town.