As the seasons go by, quarterback Deshaun Watson keeps improving, and arguably the one area where the former 2017 first-round pick from Clemson has gotten better is play-action.
“I think his attention to detail [has improved his play-action],” offensive coordinator Tim Kelly told reporters Wednesday. “Him being able to execute the techniques that we’re asking him to execute and then make the proper reads. He’s doing a great job in doing what we’re asking him to do.”
The Texans’ run game has also helped the Pro Bowl signal caller in having something to sell. Running back Carlos Hyde has produced a 4.2 yards per carry and recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the season in Week 6. With a diversified attack, whatever Watson’s technique, it makes the play-action more believable.
“Deshaun came in here, he’s an excellent ball handler,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “He’s really good with the football in his hands. He was coached well in high school, coached well at Clemson, and then he came here and he really understood what we were trying to do. Some of our fakes are hard ball fakes, some of our fakes are flash fakes. He understands that.
“He does a lot of different things that relative to being able to understand what we’re trying to fake and what we’re trying to do there, he gets better and better and he takes a lot of pride in it. He takes a lot of pride in it and it’s a big part of what we do.”
The Texans will need to get their run game and play-action passing going against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday in Week 9 in London at Wembley Stadium. Houston’s AFC South foes are one of the more effective pass-rushing teams in the NFL with 29 sacks through eight weeks, the ninth-most in the NFL.
