Deshaun Watson set records as a rookie and was a blazing fire down the stretch in his second season. Could the third year bring the Houston Texans quarterback to another level?
Fully healthy this offseason, Watson believes he will be strides better in Bill O'Brien's offense in 2019.
"I feel like I'm ahead of where I was, of course, last year," Watson said, via the team's official website. "Just decision making, operation of the offense, being able to do things that I couldn't do a year before and definitely my rookie year. Being able to take control and take leadership of this offense and be able to get the young guys lined up, make sure the protection is right, make sure the ball is getting placed in the right direction or where the ball needs to be versus this coverage. It's been a great camp and we're just trying to continue to improve and make this offense go."
Despite being sacked a league-high 62 times in 2018, Watson ranked sixth in the NFL with 8.2 yards per attempt, sixth in passer rating at 103.1, seventh in completion percentage at 68.3 and eighth in TD-INT ratio at 26-9. In his last nine games, Watson led the NFL with a 115.2 passer rating, per the team's website.
Watson's mastery of O'Brien's offense is only one part of the equation in Houston. The Texans must hope (and pray) for better protection in front of the QB, and that his weapons can stay healthy.
If DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller and Keke Coutee can all remain out of the training room, the Texans could be an explosive offense with Watson slinging pigskins.
"Whoever is touching the ball on each possession can make something happen," Watson said. "We're all confident that we're going to be on the same page, great chemistry, have some fun and try to light up the scoreboard as much as we can."
