Week 3 of the preseason is viewed as the “dress rehearsal” for the regular season, and the Governor’s Cup renews Saturday between the Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys.
While the Texans want to get quarterback Deshaun Watson ready for the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, the club has to be judicious about the Pro Bowler’s playing time. However, if left up to his own devices, Watson knows how long he would stay on the field at NRG Stadium versus the team’s in-state rivals.
“The whole game, really, if I had to,” Watson told reporters Wednesday at Houston Methodist Training Center. “I just love to play football. Any time I get to play, especially in the NFL, the best athletes in the world, an opportunity to get on the field on a national stage is a blessing, a great opportunity for anybody.”
The game will be televised to a national audience on NFL Network with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m. Central Time. It will be the first time the two sides have played each other since Oct. 7, 2018, when the Texans outlasted the Cowboys 19-16 in overtime.
“How much I may play, I have no idea, if I play, but we’ll just have to go from there and whenever my opportunity comes, make sure I do the best I can do,” Watson said.
Coach Bill O’Brien won’t let his franchise quarterback go into the fourth quarter, more than likely. The last time Watson faced the Cowboys, he sustained a cracked rib and a partially collapsed lung. Houston would rather preserve Watson for the hits of the regular season than risk him taking licks from Dallas in an otherwise meaningless preseason game relative to the standings.
Last year against Dallas, Watson completed 33 passes on 44 attempts for 375 yards, a touchdown, an interception, and sustained one sack.
