Houston Texans: Quarterback controversy brewing after Week 1?
Deshaun Watson is primed for the role of starting quarterback for the Houston Texans after Tom Savage’s abysmal performance in Week 1.
Is there a quarterback controversy brewing in Houston? That question must be asked after starter Tom Savage was pulled from the Houston Texans’ 29-7 opening day loss in favor of rookie Deshaun Watson. On the day, Savage went 7-of-13, throwing for 66 yards. He struggled to throw any sort of deep ball, amassing only 4.77 yards per pass.
A Clemson product, Watson came into the game at the start of the second half and performed well, throwing his first touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins. The four-yard strike proved to be the only source of offense for the Texans. In total, Watson went 12-of-23 for 102 yards, throwing a touchdown as well as an interception.
Do the Texans have a controversy on their hands?
With these latest developments, it is fair to say that Houston does indeed have the makings of a quarterback controversy. Savage was named Houston’s starter at the beginning of the offseason. To head coach Bill O’Brien’s credit, he stuck to the plan of Savage being a starter. Perhaps most telling was that he reaffirmed his commitment to having the veteran signal-caller as QB1 even after Watson was drafted.
Savage threw for 461 yards in the final three games of the 2016 season, including a 260-yard performance against the Jaguars on Dec. 18, which ended up being a high for him during that three-game span.
Being the No. 12 pick in the 2017 draft, Watson was picked with the intention of assuming the role of a franchise player. He has shown that he has the tools, at least at the collegiate level. Possessing a cataclysmic mix of elusiveness and a power arm, he has all the tools to be a game-changer. Always seeming to shine in some of the biggest moments in college football, he was never afraid of the spotlight.
The spotlight is something that may shine upon Watson again soon. Savage is a capable quarterback, there is no doubt about that. The former Pittsburgh Panther leads Houston to two wins in the contests he appeared in. However, he is inconsistent. The fact of the matter is, you can’t leave a prized draft pick on the bench forever. Watson has too much athletic ability and skill to take a backseat.
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It would be one thing if Savage showed that he could consistently sustain drives and put up numbers and wins. He has not done so, and as a result, the starting quarterback position could be up for grabs sooner rather than later.