Deshaun Watson Hit 19 Times As Texans Beat Bills 20-13
HOUSTON (AP) — Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans got their third straight win on Sunday.
But it came with a price as the already-banged up quarterback took 19 more hits in the 20-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Watson was sacked seven times and took 12 other hits from the Bills. The second-year player, questionable this week with a chest injury, was slow to get up several times and didn't seem to be moving as well as he normally does.
Houston coach Bill O'Brien was asked about the performance of the offensive line and what the group can do to improve.
"I don't know, I really don't," he said. "I think we've got to go back and figure it out ... it starts with me. So, we just have to keep grinding to figure it out, figure out how to get better."
Watson brushed off questions about his health, saying he didn't "want to make any excuses," but his teammates acknowledged the injury and said it made them want to do more to help him.
"When you've got a guy that sacrifices everything when he's hurt, everybody around him better do the same thing, especially if it's your quarterback," defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said. "I think everybody put that on their shoulders this week and just tried to give it all up for him."
Watson was 15 of 25 for 177 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also lost a fumble. He's been sacked 25 times this season and taken 66 other hits behind a line that was supposed to be improved this year.
O'Brien was certainly happy with the win, but knows his team must improve on offense if it hopes to compete with Jacksonville next week.
"We're not going to be able to be where we want to be unless we figure this thing out on offense," he said. "And figure out what we have to be to be able to run the ball, throw the ball consistently."
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