If the Houston Texans are to be successful in 2018, protecting Deshaun Waston must be a priority. Luckily for Houston and Watson there are variety of ways to accomplish this. Bill O’Brien will utilize every tool at his disposal to ensure that Watson is protected and the Texans are successful.
Ensure Watson is healthy to start the season
The worst possible thing to happen to Watson and the Texans is to rush him back and re-aggravate his injury. What happened to Robert Griffin III in Washington should be a cautionary tale. Allow Watson to heal properly before letting him see the field.
Improve the offensive line
Easier said than done however this needs to happen. An improved offensive line not only gives Watson more time in the pocket but it also improves the running game. Using the resources made available to them the Texans must improve the offensive line to keep their quarterback healthy.
Keep Watson in the pocket
This goes hand in hand with improving the offensive line. An improved group up front allows O’Brien to call plays that keep Watson in the pocket. This is in stark contrast to pulling offensive lineman and rollouts heavily called throughout last season. By keeping Watson in the pocket it will limit the amount of hits he will take and allow him to beat teams with his arm. While this does take away his dynamic running ability a bit, it is in the best interest of Watson and the Texans to go down this route.
Improve the rushing attack
During the time D’Onta Foreman saw the field he appeared to be an impact player. Foreman showcased why the Texans took him in the draft. Lamar Miller started 13 games and saw his effectiveness drop. There is the potential that the combination of Miller and Foreman together can be effective but Miller is due to be paid a lot of money. If the Texans can find another running back who can provide similar production for less money it will be in their best interest to sign him.
A productive running game will only help Watson. This will keep the defense honest and allow Watson to be more effective passing the ball downfield. It will also allow Watson to be effective in what should be a lesser workload in terms of carrying the ball.
What can the Texans achieve by protecting Watson?
Simply put the Texans can be a lethal offense. During the time Watson was healthy Houston was scoring at will. Taking the proper steps to improve the offensive line and running game will allow Watson to be a productive passer in the pocket. It will also allow him to be more dangerous when he decides to run the ball. If O’Brien can make opposing defenses focus on the receivers and running backs, Watson will have a field day and lead the Texans to a winning season.