There were a lot of VietBet patrons who probably questioned the Houston Texans’ signing of Brock Osweiler last season. They weren’t second-guessing; they were first-guessing. Yes, Osweiler did spend about half a regular season at starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, and he unquestionably had his moments. But he was temperamental, reportedly being upset when replaced by Peyton Manning, the all-time great who was returning from injury. And there were a couple of well-publicized blowups out in public. And let’s face it – on the field he was inexperienced, so one has to wonder to what degree he was going to lead this Texans team, who really needed a push on the offensive side.
Ultimately, Osweiler threw for less than six yards an attempt, and found himself benched in favor of Tom Savage, who also lacks experience but is probably a little bit more of a hardened competitor. That would seem to be good news in Houston, as Savage will be, at the very least, the guy who keeps the seat warm until the day that Deshaun Watson is ready to assume the reins.
Watson, the rookie quarterback out of national champion Clemson, is one of those guys with multiple talents, including the ability to buy time for himself and make something happen out of nothing, but what remains to be seen is his poise in the pocket and his ability to make all the NFL throws under pressure. But that’s what they have the pre-season for.
Houston Texans – NFL Futures Odds:
In the NFL futures odds that have been posted at VietBet, the over-under for total victories by the Texans is 8.5, with -115 on the “over” and -105 on the “under.”
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Watson would seem to be an appropriate shot in the arm for an offense that really dragged last season. The Texans were 29th in yards gained, and scored touchdowns on only 13% of their drives. There doesn’t seem to be any doubt that there are weapons available; it’s just that Osweiler didn’t seem to have the ability to create chemistry with any of them. Take Will Fuller, the rookie out of Notre Dame, for example. Yes, he did have a habit of dropping passes, but when he caught them you could make big plays. Fuller is a speed-burner, but he caught only 47 passes for two touchdowns last season. And even though DeAndre Hopkins put up decent numbers (78 receptions, 954 yards), one can only imagine what could have been produced with a better quarterback at the helm. The running game ought to be better, as Lamar Miller (1073 yards) returns and is joined by Houston-area native D’Onta Freeman, the third-round draft pick who rang up big numbers at the University of Texas.
This defense was #1 overall the NFL, and that was with JJ Watt missing almost all of the season due to a back operation. Watt, as you are no doubt aware, is one of the few truly dominant defensive figures in the NFL, and if he comes back all the way healthy, he makes for a very scary tandem along with Jadeveon Clowney, the former #1 overall pick who made it to the Pro Bowl last year. The Texans have the second-best pass defense in the league, but they did lose a big part of that secondary when AJ Bouye departed as a free agent to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
We really don’t know what is going to happen at the quarterback spot, although we imagine Watson will prove to be the best alternative sooner or later, possibly sooner. But that means growing pains, making Houston a tough proposition. At the same time, we know that defense can carry them, and they aren’t in an overwhelming division, so the “over” and playoff contention is in order for the Texans.
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By Charles Jay