Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson stats at the bye week in 2020

The Houston Texans have one of the best quarterbacks in all of the NFL with Deshaun Watson under center.

Can you believe the Houston Texans have had Deshaun Watson for four seasons as their starting quarterback, and still the very best from him is yet to come? Watson is still only 25 years old, and a 6’2” and 220 pounds the star is having a solid season, even with the Texans being just 1-6 overall at their bye week, plus no longer having DeAndre Hopkins as his star receiver.

Though seven games in 2020, Deshaun Watson has 15 touchdown passes with five interceptions, passing for 2,095 yards with a rating of 108.7. Being that the Houston Texans made major changes at wide receiver before the season began, plus with Watson playing through former head coach Bill O’Brien being fired, those numbers aren’t too bad, in fact they are good.

In terms of his total passing yards, Deshaun Watson ranks third in the entire NFL, trailing only Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2,462) and Carolina Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater (2,106). For quarterbacks only, Watson leads the NFL in yards per attempt at 8.8, with Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks right behind him at 8.6.

Watson is 10th in the league in attempts (239), eighth in completions (166), and seventh in the league in completions (with at least 100 attempts) at 69.5 percent. Only five starting quarterbacks rank ahead of Watson in touchdown passes this season, as Watson has 15 touchdowns passes in 2020. The league leader is Wilson with 22 touchdown passes entering Week 8.

In one category quarterbacks don’t want to lead the league in — which  is interceptions — Watson is 13th with the aforementioned five, being tied with Gardner Minshew of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and rookie Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals. The league leader in interceptions going into Week 8 is Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles with 10, as he’s tied with Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings.

Another stat for Deshaun Watson is that he’s second in the league — and first in the AFC — is he’s thrown 30 passes for 20-plus yard completions, but he’s 14th overall in passes for 40-plus yards at three. Watson’s longest pass this season has traveled 53 yards.

Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson rushing the ball, and moving forward

Deshaun Watson has rushed for 147 yards on 30 carries in the first seven games of the season. His longest rush is 14 yards, and he’s raced his way to 10 first downs. One part of of the rushing games that isn’t his best is the fact Watson has two fumbles.

Another stat that isn’t one to be noticed for is Houston Texans starter Deshaun Watson has been sacked 22 times, tied with Minshew in times sacks. The only two quarterbacks who have been sacked more this season are Wentz and Burrow, with both players being sacked 28 teams each.

All of this said about Watson, and the fact is he’s one of the very best quarterbacks in the game, is he deserves the new contract extension he received before the start of the regular season, and we’ve not seen just how great of a player he can be.

The Houston Texans are all but are eliminated from playoff contention (though not officially), but what will be most interesting to see is how well he and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly work together for the rest of the season, and maybe if there is success, that can carry over into next season if the new head coach (when hired) decides so.

Watson and the Texans have nine games left on the schedule, and have a favorable matchup when they return for Week 9 against the Jaguars in Jacksonville, which is the lone win the Texans have earned this season.

Once the trade deadline passes, and all of us know who is staying with the team — especially at wide receiver — that is when it will be easier to tell how Deshaun Watson and his Houston Texans will be able to move forward and play out the rest of this season in a competitive fashion.