Fansided

Deshaun Watson deserves more than Romeo Crennel

By Rucker Haringey

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 08: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans looks to pass the ball during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on November 08, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 08: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans looks to pass the ball during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on November 08, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Romeo Crennel might be a mild upgrade over Bill O’Brien, but Deshaun Watson deserves a better head coach if he’s going to stick with the Texans. 

Firing Bill O’Brien was a step forward for Deshaun Watson and the Texans. Giving Romeo Crennel the permanent job as the team’s head coach would signify taking two steps back.

Watson deserves better. He’s one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL but his franchise continues to hamstring him on an annual basis. Making Crennel is permanent head coach could be the decision that finally convinces Watson to search out greener pastures.

According to NFL.com, Houston is strongly considering giving Crennel the job on a full-time basis. At least part of the franchise’s motivation is a desire to avoid the expense and difficulty of launching an exhaustive coaching search in the midst of a global pandemic. Simply giving the job to the 74-year-old defensive guru would certainly be the path of least resistance for the Texans

Watson should be irate if the Texans take the easy way out. It would be the latest in a long line of indefensible moves by Houston as it relates to their talented signal-caller. At some point, enough must be enough for Watson despite his desire to stay loyal to the franchise that drafted him.

When Watson first came into the league Houston endangered his health and career by trotting out a putrid offensive line to protect him every week. The Texans are lucky that malpractice didn’t ruin Watson’s career before it ever got started.

When O’Brien and his front office finally built a decent offensive line, they figuratively slapped Watson in the face by offloading his most talented pass catcher. The decision to trade DeAndre Hopkins before the start of the 2020 season was indefensible. He continues to pile up big yards in Arizona while Houston searches for a consistent wide receiver to replace him.

The Texans acknowledged their evaluation of that foolish trade when they made the decision to axe O’Brien in the middle of the season.

Finally cutting ties with O’Brien gave the Texans a chance to finally do right by Watson. Giving Crennel the job as the team’s interim coach made sense. He gave the roster a steady hand in a time of tumult. Helping stabilize the team after O’Brien’s departure does not qualify a dinosaur like Crennel to get the job on a permanent basis.

No other team in the NFL would consider giving Crennel their head coaching job. That should tell the Texans’ brass all they need to know. He may be a nice man, but the game of football has largely passed him by. He might be able to forge a solid defense, but he has no chance to construct an innovative offense around Watson.

Next. 5 NFL teams that should hire David Shaw. dark

That should be an absolute requirement for anyone with designs on becoming the Texans’ next head coach. The hire should be made almost exclusively on the basis of what’s best for Deshaun Watson. Crennel is not anywhere near the correct answer to that query.

Making such a poor hire could be the straw that breaks Watson’s back with the Texans. He deserves better and no one should blame him if he tells his team that he needs a trade this offseason.

Home/Houston Texans