(SportsRadio 610) - Even though national media has played up all week quarterback Deshaun Watson’s return from his 11-game suspension against the Texans, it seems as if the only television markets outside Loop 610 getting the game are Kingwood, Sugar Land and The Woodlands.
That’s an exaggeration, of course. Coverage is a little more extensive than that, but not by much. It’s obvious to anyone with a big screen the NFL wants the Browns-Texans game to be viewed by as few fans as possible. The game is being telecast only to Southeast Texas, parts of East Texas and a small portion of West Texas. And Northeast Ohio, of course.
If you’re a Texans fan in San Antonio or other parts of the state and you want to see Watson, get ready for the Vikings-Jets game, unless you have Direct TV’s Sunday Ticket or a seat at a sports bar.
By the time the Texans close the season at Indianapolis, the NFL will want to make sure that game is buried even deeper. The coverage map may show only cemeteries being able to get the telecast.
Most pointing out Sunday’s miniscule viewing audience attribute it to the NFL wanting Watson’s return to be seen by as few fans as possible. I believe the wretched Texans have more to do with it.
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The Texans have a 1-9-1 record, a six-game losing streak and perhaps the most sleep-inducing offense in team history. I don’t care where you are, the only reason to invest emotionally in Sunday’s game is Watson’s first performance since the last game of the 2020 season when the Texans lost to the Titans 41-38.
Even if you’re not excited about Watson’s return, you should be intrigued. He hasn’t played in 700 days. More than two dozen women filed civil lawsuits against him for sexual assault and misconduct. The league suspended him for 11 games, fined him a record $5 million and required him to undergo counseling. Oh, and the league also told him to get massages from the Browns and not on Instagram.
If the Texans were competitive rather than being the worst team in the league, more fans might attend the game. Those who do are expected to boo Watson, but they may save their loudest boos for an offense that’s generated only 37 yards and four first downs in the first half of the last two losses to Washington and Miami.
In Watson’s four seasons with the Texans, they almost always amassed a lot of yards and scored a lot of points, certainly more than this offense that has Kyle Allen replacing Davis Mills for the second consecutive game.
By the way, Allen is 1-0 against Watson, a 16-10 Carolina victory in 2019 at NRG Stadium, one of the worst games of Watson’s career.
It won’t take much for the disappointing Browns to shut down the Texans. Over their last five games, they average 13.6 points. They average 15.8 this season. Only Denver has scored fewer points.
One thing we know is Sunday’s game won’t be the kind of high-scoring shootout Watson used to produce. Coach Kevin Stefanski calls the plays. He’s got an exceptional running game featuring Nick Chubb (1,039 yards, 5.2 a carry, 12 touchdowns) to help take pressure off Watson.
This is the only game Watson will play indoors in place of Jacoby Brissett, who helped the Browns go 4-7, including an overtime victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday. Brissett has known all along he’d be going to the bench when Watson was finally available.
On Thursday, Watson did his first news conference since August. He said all the right things about returning, playing for the Browns and competing against his former team in Houston. He declined to answer questions about any of his off-the-field issues on the advice of his attorneys and therapists.
“I understand you guys (media) have a lot of questions, but with my legal team and my clinical team, there (are) only football questions that I can address at this time,” Watson said.
Then Watson was asked four questions that didn’t involve football, and he declined to answer any of them. But he did answer a lot of football questions, including what type of reception he thinks he’ll receive at NRG Stadium.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “I’m not worried about the atmosphere. My focus is on the gameplan. I’m excited to play football in front of Browns fans but also in front of some Texans fans. I respect the (Texans) organization. I respect the McNair family. I respect everyone that drafted me. It has been great memories. I still have a home in Houston. I still have friends and family in Houston and relationships that are still there. I have so much love for the City of Houston.”
But most of Houston doesn’t have “much love” for Watson because of his trade demand and the serious nature of the accusations in the civil lawsuits, most of which he settled. His reputation was tarnished and always will be. The NFL thought Watson was guilty based on the penalties it levied against him.
Because Watson sat out last season before being traded to Cleveland and was forced to miss the first 11 games this season, nobody is sure how he’ll play. It seems like he’ll need to get down his timing with his new receivers and knock off the rust. That could take one quarter, one game or one month.
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” he said. “This is my first time having time off. My biggest focus is whatever Kevin calls (to) make sure I’m executing, doing what the scheme allows me to do, getting the ball into the playmakers’ hands and try to put up more points than the opponent.”
After playing the Texans, the Browns’ schedule is more difficult. They play at Cincinnati before hosting Baltimore and New Orleans. They finish on the road against Washington and Pittsburgh.
At some point, the Browns have 230 million reasons for Watson to become the player he was for the Texans – a big-time playmaker who became one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
“We’ll have to see Sunday, honestly,” Watson said about how long it’ll take for him to pick up where he left off with the Texans. “It might take time, or it might not take time.
“Two years is definitely a long time. At the same time, I’ve been doing this since I was 6 years old. (It’s) just like riding a bike -- I’m going to find the pedals.”
The Texans better hope for Sunday, at least, Watson needs a bicycle with training wheels.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on Sports Radio 610 and Monday and Thursday on Texans Radio. He write three times a week and does three Houtopia Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com. He also can be read four times a week on GallerySports.com.