Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has the fourth-highest passer rating int he NFL at 107.1 and has led his club to a 6-3 mark. With a team that saw a defensive playmaker in Jadeveon Clowney go to Seattle, and J.J. Watt lost for the season, the Texans’ star power has come from under center.
As a result, the former 2017 first-round pick from Clemson is finding himself in the middle of the discussion for most valuable player.
“It’s cool, I guess,” Watson told reporters Wednesday. “The only thing I can really control is performing on the field and then everything else is to the voters and whoever decides on that decision. I don’t get too much caught up in that.”
What has helped Watson’s case is his head-to-head performance against other MVP candidates such as the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes. In two of the next three games, Watson will have a chance to add more wins against big names with Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in Week 11 and New England’s Tom Brady in Week 13 on a Sunday night with all the world watching.
“My ultimate goal is trying to win as many games as I can to get to that ultimate goal,” said Watson. “That MVP stuff is going to take care of itself. If it’s deserving for me, then I’ll do it, but if not, then best to whoever wins that award.”
While there are various and sundry most valuable player awards out there from the Pro Football Writers of America to Sporting News, the officially recognized MVP award is the Associated Press. If Watson were to win it, he would be the first Houston NFL player since running back Earl Campbell to take home the honor. Furthermore, a win for Watson would elevate the Texans out of the collection of eight franchises that have yet to produce an MVP (Ravens, Jets, Texans, Eagles, Saints, Buccaneers, Cardinals, and Jaguars).