Texans 27, Patriots 20
Q. Deshaun, you started scrambling for yards in the second quarter. How much do you think that meant to the offense? And also, talk about your touchdown run when you bowl over the linebacker and defensive back and take them to the end zone. What does that do for you and what do you think it does for the offense?
DESHAUN WATSON: Yeah, I just tried to make some plays, some things happen. They played a lot of P coverage and a lot of guys in coverage, so a lot of the things they were trying to take away. Only rushing three, so I just tried to make some things work with my legs.
And then on that run I was just trying to make something happen. I just reacted and went for it and see where it took me, and I just kind of took both of those guys into the end zone. Yeah, it just gave the offense energy and the whole team energy, and they sought that and kind of continued through the rest of the game.
Q. When you see a guy like Keke that hasn't played in a while and then he's in the game all of a sudden, what do you tell him in the huddle, if anything, and what did you think of him being able to catch a touchdown after not playing since the Baltimore game?
DESHAUN WATSON: Just doing what he do. He's been practicing with us. He's been there studying and with all the meetings and with all the four guys that's been playing. For him to come in and do what he do and just be ready, that's always a good thing. He knows that I have trust in him and I'm going to continue to encourage him, and he's going to get more playing time, and whenever he gets his opportunity, go in there and have success.
Q. Was that by design to throw to the tight ends? Was that a big part of the game plan or was that more of an adjustment, just based on what you were taking what the defense gave you?
DESHAUN WATSON: Just taking what the defense gave me. Just find the open guy; that's what my job is, to be that surgeon, to be that point guard, and not try to force it downfield, just give it to the open guy and let those guys go make plays.
Q. What did you think when your defense got the stop on 4th and 4 on Cam?
DESHAUN WATSON: It was huge. It was big. We should have kind of -- on offense we should have got that first 1st down to run out the clock, but yeah, that was huge. The defense stood up. They've been standing up all day, and it just gives us momentum. It gave us motivation to go out there and continue to put up points because our defense was playing so well.
Q. How often have you, or what is that like for you when you can take on a linebacker or a safety or a DB in that situation and bowl over them for the touchdown?
DESHAUN WATSON: Yeah, it just depends on the situation, honestly. I'm not going to do it every week, not with everyone. I've definitely got to pick my spots. I just kind of reacted and just went for it. Yeah, that's pretty much it right there.
Q. What kind of reaction did you get from your teammates?
DESHAUN WATSON: I mean, they were all excited. They were all really not surprised, but yeah, they were all pumped up about it, but you could tell that the energy kept going.
Q. With everything you guys have been through this season as a team, what's a win like this mean for you to do it against New England? Cam Newton is on the other side, it was a tight victory at home, and just for you personally, it seemed like this was a win starting in the first quarter. You always enjoy them but you enjoyed, and it seemed like you had that smile back in some ways.
DESHAUN WATSON: I mean, I've been having the smile. If you look at even the losses, I'm always smiling. That's part of the game. Of course no one likes to lose, so that kind of brings you down. But at the same time I've got to enjoy this game. This is what I -- I'm blessed to be in the position that I'm in. I'm healthy. I'm out there with the guys, so I'm always smiling regardless of the situation.
But yeah, I mean, we're just trying to stack wins. That's what we're trying to do each and every week, regardless of what the record is. We don't look at the record. We go in and put work in each and every day, and then on Sundays you're going to get our best bet, and the other team better be ready because if not, then we're going to try to get the victory and we're going to get the victory.
Yeah, this is of course a big win, but we've just got to keep pushing forward and enjoy this one for the next however many hours, but tomorrow when we wake up we've got to get ready for Detroit because it's a short week on the road and we've got to go up there and try to get another one.
Q. Obviously you guys want to run the ball better, but why do you think you were able to have so much success against this passing attack despite not having an ground game today?
DESHAUN WATSON: I mean, I feel like each and every week we always had the success in the passing game. Maybe not last week with the weather conditions. But we can pass the ball, we can -- if the run game is not going the way we want it to go, then we're going to line up and throw it.
They weren't rushing too many people. They were rushing three and a lot of P coverage, so I had more time to kind of scope out and let the guys get open. For me I like to throw it. I like to give the receivers and the skill guys an opportunity to make plays in the air, and once they can catch it and run, let them make plays with their feet. Yeah, that's just kind of how the game went today.
Q. Your teammates talked to us earlier about winning their one-on-one match-ups, about how today was about winning match-ups. What can you say about how they did in those one-on-one match-ups?
DESHAUN WATSON: They did good, all the guys, from the O-line to the running backs, to the receivers, tight ends, everyone. We knew it was going to be a lot of match coverage and a lot of space for them to go make plays to run. For me I've just got to be confident and really just put the ball in there and give them an opportunity, and they made plays. They did their job, and I did my job, and that's how we was able to get the victory.
Q. You talked earlier about Keke Coutee and what you told him in the huddle and everything like that, but you guys had some injuries. Laremy Tunsil didn't play, you guys had some people step in. What can you say about some of those teammates?
DESHAUN WATSON: That's preparation. Always ready for the next step. A lot of those guys, each and every week they've just been patiently waiting, kind of putting in that work, and when that time came they were ready for it. That's what I'm most proud about is for those guys to step in and have the success and not miss a beat.
I mean, that's what this team is all about. Regardless of what the record says, this team is always going to put in the work, we're always going to support each other. We're always going to go out there and give it our all. Regardless if you're playing a lot or if you've got to sub in for the next guy, that guy is going to be ready. It was a good job and I'm proud of everyone for doing that.
Q. I was going to ask you about that also, the way your offensive teammates stepped up. How about the roof being open, the contrast with the bright sunlight and the dark shadows? Did that affect you guys at all?
DESHAUN WATSON: No, we didn't have any problem offensively. It didn't affect us. Cobb caught a touchdown. We caught some -- Ake caught a crossing route with that, and I don't think it was a big, big factor for us. I didn't really have too many balls that were hanging in the air, too. So I kind of made sure that if they're going to catch it, they're going to know that the ball is right there. I was going to have to make them catch it.
Q. Because you got a W, do you want the roof open for every home game now?
DESHAUN WATSON: I mean, it doesn't matter to me. We're still going to go play football. It was a cool experience, though, for sure.
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