The Houston Texans smacked the Jacksonville Jaguars around 26-3 on the natural grass of Wembley Stadium Sunday in London.
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was 22-of-28 for 201 yards and two touchdowns while taking just one sack. The former Pro Bowler has led Houston to a 6-3 record and a half-game lead in first place in the AFC South as they enter the bye week. For Watson’s efforts, he earned a spot on Touchdown Wire’s Pat Yasinskas’ seven best starting quarterbacks list.
Watson, 24, blossomed last year in his second NFL season. And he has only continued to grow this year. Watson has thrown for 2,432 yards and 18 touchdowns. More importantly, the Texans are 6-3 and looking like a team that could do some damage in the postseason.
The Texans are 6-3, the same as they were last season, and are at a very optimistic point in the season. They do have a tough schedule ahead with the Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, and New England Patriots all ahead of them. Against playoff-winning quarterbacks this season, Watson has managed a 3-1 record, indicating that he gives the Texans a decent chance to go toe-to-toe with some of the NFL’s top quarterbacks in the game during the final stretch.
After facing Lamar Jackson, Jacoby Brissett, and Tom Brady, the Texans will face possibly Brandon Allen of the Denver Broncos, the Tennessee Titans’ Ryan Tannehill twice, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Jameis Winston in between those AFC South showdowns with the Titans. Having Watson under center for Houston gives them the edge in those four games to close out 2019 and possibly get them a first-round bye, if the standings are shaking out that way.
On the season, Watson has completed 212-of-302 passing for 2,432 yards, 18 touchdowns, five interceptions, and posted a 107.1 passer rating. The former 2017 first-round pick has also added five rushing touchdowns.
