Bill O'Brien's prayers have been answered. The Houston Texans have found a franchise quarterback - for the first time ever.
In just three starts, Deshaun Watson has defied the doubters and gone from a young project to a legitimate starter on a contending team.
The 22-year-old former national champion began his pro tenure with hopes that he'd eventually become who the Texans desired David Carr would be in 2002, but with few expectations for immediate success in 2017. Even after Watson arrived for training camp, Tom Savage, who had just two pro starts under his belt, was being favored as the starter - even by Houston's top players.
"If anybody should be a judge of quarterbacks, I've played with the most quarterbacks in NFL history throughout my first four years," star receiver DeAndre Hopkins said in August. "So I put the stamp on Savage, and I think that's all that needs to be said about that."
O'Brien clearly agreed, but his decision to open the season with Savage under center didn't last long - exactly two quarters, to be exact - which has proven to be a risk worth taking.
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Since taking over, Watson has injected a boost of energy and belief into the entire Texans organization, winning two of his three starts while pushing the New England Patriots to a razor-thin 36-33 final in his sole defeat.
The Clemson product did struggle through his first start of the season against Cincinnati - likely due to the Thursday night matchup leaving him little time to prepare - but he still managed to escape with the win, in large part due to his 49-yard touchdown run. And it's only gotten better from there.
Against the Patriots in Week 3, Watson was undone by the conservative game-managing of his head coach, as he amassed 301 passing yards with two touchdowns and 41 rush yards. But more importantly, just as he didn't back down from Alabama in college, Watson showed he wasn't afraid against the defending Super Bowl champions.
In Week 4, Watson faced a Tennessee Titans team that had allowed an average of 23 points per game through their opening schedule, and proceeded to absolutely tear them apart. While he was aided by a five-turnover performance from his defense, Watson helped the Texans rack up a franchise-record 57 points on Sunday.
Watson's breakout party saw him tie the NFL rookie record for the most total touchdowns in a game, throwing for four scores while running one in himself. He's quickly developed a chemistry with the Texans' talented receiving corps, as Hopkins had 10 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown Sunday, while Will Fuller caught two scores in his first game of the season.
With only two quarterbacks logging at least 16 games as a starter in Houston's 16-year history, Texans fans aren't used to seeing a good field general who can lead a team with both tangibles and intangibles.
To be fair, franchise passing leader Matt Schaub did lead the league in yards in 2009. He also had future Hall of Famer Andre Johnson on that team, while leading the NFL in attempts. And despite Schaub running a fairly fun offense, only once in his six-and-a-half years as Houston's starter did the team have double-digit wins.
Being a franchise quarterback is about more than just yardage totals and fun-filled offenses - it's about leading the team and having others follow. Watson proved he could fill that role in college, going to two straight national championships, and he's about to show Houston what it looks like for next decade.
(Photos Courtesy: Action Images)
