Deshaun Watson made a strong case for Texans’ starting job in debut

The Houston Texans lost their preseason opener to the Carolina Panthers, 27-17. It was an overall disappointing night for an offense that put up 410 net yards but found the end zone just twice. Yet despite the loss, the team must be happy with the performance of first-round rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Locked in a camp battle with Tom Savage, Watson didn’t see the field until the second quarter, working mostly with the second unit. Savage got the start and did just fine for himself, completing 9 of 10 passes for 69 yards. However, he was stiff in the pocket and slow to make decisions, two areas where Watson didn’t struggle.

When Watson hit the field, he immediately showed his ability to improvise and make plays on the fly. It’s a good thing he has that skill, because Houston’s offensive line rarely gave him time.

This play was nullified by a penalty, but you can see Watson’s quick instincts at work, along with some pinpoint accuracy on the run.

It was in the third quarter where Watson had his best performance of the game. He marched the Texans down the field on a 15-play, 75-yard drive, carving up the Panthers with quick, efficient passes. Watson didn’t really challenge the defense on deep throws, preferring to work underneath, but it was more than enough as he calmly converted third downs and kept the chains moving at a methodical pace.

Watson capped off the drive himself with a rushing touchdown, but it wasn’t just any regular scramble. Watch him patiently wait in the pocket, looking for options until there’s an opening in the middle of the field. With the secondary occupied by coverage assignments, Watson is able to sprint in untouched.

That’s the kind of unique element Watson adds to the Texans’ offense, one they don’t really have with Savage under center.

Watson finished his night with 15-of-25 passing, 179 yards, and the one touchdown. He averaged a decent 7.2 yards per attempt and, more importantly, avoided turnovers. Taking care of the ball and not making careless mistakes will be crucial if Watson hopes to win the Week 1 job, and he passed that test with flying colors on Wednesday.

Now, it’s important to note the caveats here. It’s the first preseason game, Watson wasn’t playing the Panthers’ first-team defense (particularly the fearsome front seven — Kawann Short gave Savage hell during their brief time in the game), and the play calling kept it safe with dink-and-dunk routes that rarely stretched the field. We probably shouldn’t be making too many grand proclamations this early in the preseason. That said, it’s an encouraging performance from Watson, and an important first step in his NFL development.

The Texans’ QB competition is far from over, and there will be many more challenges for Watson and Savage, starting with the defending champion New England Patriots next week. Watson wasn’t perfect, but he showed poise and maturity beyond his years, proving that Savage will have to do a lot more to win the starting job.

We’ll see if Watson has done enough to earn reps with the first team sooner rather than later. He’s certainly earned the chance after Wednesday’s promising audition.