The Houston Texans are ready for Deshaun Watson.
For just the second time since the Texans traded Watson to the Cleveland Browns, the three-time Pro Bowler will square off against his former team following an absence.
Watson is also eager for the challenge ahead of him against the Texans. However, Watson made it clear that he is not viewing the matchup through the lens of facing his former team, the team that drafted him 12th overall in 2017.
Instead, Watson is looking forward to keeping the Browns in the playoff hunt.
“It’s a big opportunity for us. Get back on the winning track, especially get in front of our home fans. That’s the ultimate focus, is focus on that. All the outside things, going against my former team, that stuff was in the past. Four, five years ago? Yeah, it was a big deal,” Watson told reporters on November 11.
“Now, I think both sides have moved on, and we’re just both trying to find ways to win and continue to put ourself in position for later on down the road.”
Texans Get Honest About Deshaun Watson
With his tumultuous off-the-field troubles with allegations of sexual assault and misconduct behind him, as well as multiple leg injuries, Watson has the Browns at 5-3 heading into Week 10 against the Texans.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans commended Watson’s play.
“I’ve seen a guy who’s being very decisive with the football. He’s getting the ball out of his hands very quickly. When it’s not there, it’s his athletic ability to escape the pocket. He’s moving up and out through the pocket. They have some designed quarterback runs for him as well. So, he’s using using his athleticism. But also, if it’s open, he’s going to put the guys in there. So, we got to challenge, right? We got to be where we’re supposed to be or he’ll make you pay,” Ryans told reporters on November 11.
“The thing that showed up the most for me watching the Browns throughout this year is how they performed in those clutch moments and those two-minute moments situations. Deshaun has really rose to the occasion, and he’s made some really big plays to put their team in position to win a lot of football games.”
Will Anderson Jr. noted that facing the still-mobile Watson is “going to be a big challenge” for the Texans in Week 10.
“We talked about it today in our team meeting, and we talked about it in the defensive meeting, our D-line meeting. We got to really do a good job of closing the gate on him. All four guys have to rush together. He’s a dynamic quarterback,” Anderson told reporters on Wednesday.
“Watching him when he was at Clemson, here. Man, he can move around in the pocket. He can step up to get out, step back, and come back inside the pocket and get out. So, I think it’s gonna be all guys rushing together. No weak links, what we like to call it, man, and just being the engine.”
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud took a pragmatic approach to the matchup.
“I got a lot of appreciation for Deshaun,” Stroud said. “He was good to me when I was in college, and been a big fan of his when he played here as well.”
The two also share representation, agent David Mulugheta–who also represents Texans defensive backs Calen Bullock, Derek Stingley, and Reed Blankenship–giving the two quarterbacks ties on multiple levels.
Texans Talk Tytus Howard Reunion
One of the ties Stroud and Watson have is offensive lineman Tytus Howard, whom the Texans traded to the Browns this past offseason.
“It’s going to be really fun,” Anderson said. “I have a ton of respect for him. I learned a lot from him. He used to always coach me up, things that he’s seen in my game. He helped me get better. So, I’m excited to go against him, man. I was a rookie when he was here. So, he’s taught me a lot. It’s going to be some junk talk, I’m pretty sure. But no, it’s going to be exciting to go against him.”
Stroud, though, downplayed the sentimental aspect in his comments on Watson and Howard.
“It’s a football game in the NFL. I really don’t think about that,” Stroud said. “Tytus, former teammate. A brother of mine that I love dearly. And there’s a couple other guys that I played with in college and been on the Texans. That’s every week, usually, in the NFL. Usually play against former players and guys you grew up watching. So, it’s nothing different.”
The Browns roster several of Stroud’s former Ohio State Buckeyes teammates (Dawand Jones, Luke Wypler, Mike Hall Jr., and Ronnie Hickman), as well as former Texans Derek Barnett and Maliek Collins.
Browns’ Deshaun Watson Sends Blunt Message About Facing Texans