The Houston Texans are 2019 AFC South champions. They have won the division four of the past five seasons. Since 2002, only the Indianapolis Colts’ seven division titles outnumbered the Texans’ six.
For quarterback Deshaun Watson, finding who deserves the credit for the Texans winning the division on a regular basis is rather easy.
“It just starts with the head coach and the front office,” Watson said after the club’s 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday. “I have only been here for two, so I’m on the back end of those last four.”
The Texans hired coach Bill O’Brien in 2014, and the rookie coach from Penn State led Houston to a 9-7 finish but no postseason berth. In 2015, with the quartet of Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden all logging starts, Houston win the AFC South. In 2016, they repeated with Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage making starts.
In some ways, Watson, who went 19-of-32 for 184 yards and an interception in the win, has made it easier on O’Brien and the front office. Whether general manager Rick Smith, who was there in Watson’s first season, or Brian Gaine, who was there in Watson’s second year but fired shortly before 2019 minicamp, the general manager in Houston has not had to devote any time to finding a franchise quarterback since the Texans drafted Watson in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.
“It definitely starts with how they run things up front and the guys they want in the locker room and the way that we prepare and the way that we go about our business, so it definitely starts up there,” Watson said.
Fans in Houston appreciate the division titles, but are hopeful for a deeper playoff run in the near future, especially with a two-time Pro Bowler in Watson under center. If that doesn’t happen in Watson’s career in Houston, fans will blame the head coach and front office.