Granato and Zierlein discuss Watson’s influence and concerns about rebuilding the Texans. A couple of big plays to two Texans WRs in the win vs. the Jags helps Watson set a new highest single game mark for his career thus far.

John Granato and Lance Zierlein, hosts of ESPN Houston’s “The Bench” discuss Deshaun Watson’s comments about Will Fuller’s name being mentioned in trade rumors, and what it means for Watson’s influence and concerns about rebuilding the Texans.

Texans QB Deshaun Watson benefited from YAC in 27-25 win over the Jaguars
By Mark Lane, TexansWire

Excerpt: In the Texans’ 27-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday afternoon at TIAA Bank Field, Watson completed 19-of-32 for 281 yards and two touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, over 70% of his passing yards were thanks to the Texans’ receiving corps’ tremendous yards after the catch.

It’s been somewhat lost in the poor start to the season for Houston, but Watson has played like one of the best quarterbacks in the league. His 86.3 PFF grade coming into the week ranked fifth among 32 qualifying quarterbacks. 

This performance against Jacksonville isn’t going to be one of Watson’s best of the season from a grading standpoint, but the results were strong thanks in part to contributions from his playmakers and the futile efforts of the Jaguars defensively. Two long touchdown passes to Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller with a combined 111 yards after the catch will go a long way to padding the stat sheet. Over 70% of Watson’s passing yards in the game came after the catch — the highest single-game mark in his career.

Pro Football Focus
https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2020-week-9-pff-refocused-houston-texans-27-jacksonville-jaguars-25

I’m not even sure I understood JJ Watt’s comments. And of course nobody in the media dared to ask him to clarify what he meant. What qualifies as a “rebuild” in his eyes? The coaching staff will be rebuilt. Some players with bloated contracts might be ushered out under a new regime, and it’s not an impossibility that Watt is one of those players. John Crumpler has a rather in-depth look at this topic.

Can the Texans convince J.J. Watt and coaching candidates Houston isn’t a rebuild?
By John Crumpler, TexansWire

Excerpt: It’s worth noting that Watt is under contract until 2022. Houston’s star defensive end could not simply up and walk away should he decide the Texans are a poor fit for him to finish his playing career. However, it’s hard to see the team saying no should Watt respectfully request a trade after doing so much for both the organization and the city during his 10-year tenure.

By the time the team may consider moving Watt to a “non-rebuild” team in March, the team will most likely have made a hiring at both coach and general manager. The quality of these two candidates Houston will acquire may be strongly dictated by how they are able to perform through the softer second-half of their schedule.

Watt is a competitor and there’s no reason to doubt his genuine desire to win a Super Bowl before he hangs up the cleats. The onus is now on Houston to prove they can still give him that opportunity. A new, top head-coaching candidate combined with a strong finish to 2020 may be the only avenue towards making that argument.

News coverage will focus on potential trades to acquire draft capital and possible free agency moves within the confines of the (certainly adjusted) 2021 salary cap. That is the way for teams that have (virtually) eliminated themselves from playoff contention by the season’s midway point. However, don’t forget that this season’s conclusion will certainly have massive repercussions on what kind of ‘rebuild’ the Texans will be in 2021. The difference between 4-12 and 7-9 may serve as drastically different signals to Watt and other players on what the team’s ceiling could be with a new head coach.

Fans, relish Watson’s undeniable progression this season. Enjoy the resurgence of Cooks and the elevation of Fuller toward an alpha-level receiver. Don’t close your eyes when Phillip Gaines and Vernon Hargreaves allow yet another reception to an average receiver. Maybe these games don’t matter, but their outcome certainly might.

JJ Watt strip-sacks his way to sack #100 and joins 3 other players in Most Sacks Through First 120 Games. He is also the first player in NFL history with 100.0 sacks and multiple 20.0 sack seasons. Texans injuries abound in 27-25 win over the Jaguars: Omenihu (hamstring), Scarlett (arm), David Johnson (concussion), and Kelemete (concussion).

On Sunday, November 8, 2020, JJ Watt joined an elite group of NFL pass rushers. In the stat category of Most Sacks Through First 120 Games (Since 1982) he currently sits in 4th place:

• Reggie White (1985-1992): 123 sacks
• DeMarcus Ware (2005-2012): 108.5 sacks
• Bruce Smith (1985-1993): 102.5 sacks
• JJ Watt (2011-2020): 100 sacks

Texans DE Charles Omenihu injured his hamstring in 27-25 win over the Jaguars
By Mark Lane, TexansWire

Excerpt: In the second quarter with 8:20 until halftime, Omenihu was injured on a first-and-10 run from running back James Robinson that gained eight yards. The blow was significant as the Texans were already lacking in their edge defense due to outside linebackers Jacob Martin and Whitney Mercilus being on the COVID-19 reserve.

The Texans also lost outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett with an arm injury. On offense, the Texans had running back David Johnson and guard Senio Kelemete both sustain concussions.