HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) -- Both the Texans and Chiefs defenses are dealing with the same dilemma.
How do you balance bringing pressure against Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes, versus dropping players into coverage against them?
Both players can pick defenses apart, either from the pocket or outside of it.
"If you don't rush them and let them stand back there, they're going to hurt you. If you do rush them and you fly by them, they're going to break out and scramble and make plays down the field," Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said earlier this week of Watson and Mahomes. "Look, it's a fine line and we're going to do the best we can to try to line up and play each play and try to adjust during the game, but it's a very, very challenging game."
Watson and Mahomes, two of a record-setting 10 Black quarterbacks starting NFL Week 1, in large part represent the league's future.
Texans defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who played defensive line in the NFL, said Mahomes is one of the best he's seen play the position.
"He can make every throw. His arm talent is truly special. He's out there slinging balls like he's playing shortstop," Weaver said earlier this week. "He's an athlete. He's competitive. He's poised under pressure. He checks all the boxes you want in a quarterback.
"The thing that encourages me is I feel like we've got one of those guys too in Deshaun Watson. I love Patrick. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and his game. But I think you feel a little bit more confident when you know you've got one of those gunslingers on your sideline too."
Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said the league is in good hands with Watson and Mahomes leading the way.
"It's always fun when you get a chance to go up against those types of guys because you want to compare yourself against the best," Watt said. "There's no way to compare yourself against the best any better than playing your first game against a team whose last game was one where they ended up holding the trophy."
Watson said Thursday night's game is an opportunity for both quarterbacks to show their improvement since last season.
They are in different situations than when they faced each other in the playoffs last season -- Mahomes going on to win a Super Bowl MVP and both getting historic, lucrative contract extensions with their respective teams.
Watson said he's focusing on himself, and there's going to be an adjustment from not playing preseason games.
"The speed, it's going to be a little bit faster," Watson said. "Of course they say the weather is going to be cold and rainy so you have to adjust to that. At the same time, I wouldn't say that me and Pat are competing against each other. We definitely – as far as hey I'm going to have more yards, more touchdowns. We're trying to be the best quarterbacks for our teams, or at least I can speak for myself, the best quarterback for the Houston Texans. Doing my job to the best of my ability and doing whatever we can to be able to win that game.
"That's my main focus. Focus on Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans and just doing whatever I have to do to make sure we come out on top."
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