Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has made tremendous strides early in his career but just how close could he get to catching Tom Brady? Let’s look.
On Sunday night, the 10-1 New England Patriots face off against the 7-4 HoustonTexans. Both teams are content with their choice for a franchise starting quarterback. Naturally, this leads to the question: how doesDeshaun Watsoncompare to the possible greatest of all time in New England’sTom Brady?
Obviously, “dual-threat Deshaun” and Brady, possibly the most prolific passer in NFL history, feature different styles of play at their position. Here is a look at what Watson would need to accomplish to catch some of Brady’s career regular-season milestones as they currently stand going in to the last game for each team of November 2019.
Brady is perhaps the most accomplished and clutch postseason quarterback in NFL history—however, the following estimations represent the regular season only. In other words, the calculations below take each quarterback’s regular season numbers, as if they were finished products inclusive of the current year’s progress.
In effect, Watson’s three total years of service are subtracted from Brady’s 20. Then, an average is calculated for a given accomplishment of Brady’s to provide an estimation of what the HoustonTexans’ quarterback would need to achieve at the end of 20 seasons to catch Brady’s numbers. Phew—felt like a math quiz flashback for a minute, let’s get to the fun.
Career passing yards
Both Brady and Watson enter Sunday Night Football’s prime time contest with eerily similar 2019 passing yard totals. Did you know that Brady’s2,942 passing yardson the season lead Watson’s 2019totalby a mere 129 feet?
Over his career, Brady has thrown for73,456regular-season passing yards—good forsecond placeall-time toDrew Brees. Brady accomplished this feat over a 20-year span. In order for Watson to catch Brady’s total, the HoustonTexans‘ quarterback would need to average around 3,805 yards per season over the next 17 years.
Career touchdown passes
When it comes to throwing regular-season touchdown passes, Brady trails onlyPeyton Manning—you know, the guy who does all those commercials now. Brady’s 532 career totaltrails Manning’s recordby seven passing touchdowns.
But, don’t look now—Drew Breesmight finish as the all-time regular-season passing touchdown leader, as the Saints’ quarterback remains in adead heatwith Brady, having tossed 532 career touchdown passes, himself.
Watson, currently in his third season, has thrown65 touchdown passes. In order for the HoustonTexans‘ quarterback to catch Brady, he would need to average roughly 27 passing touchdowns per season over the next 17 seasons. If 17 years seems like an eternity, remember that Brady, 42, is slightly more than 18 years older than the 24-year-old Watson.
Career completions
It has been said that only three things happen when a football is thrown, and only one of those outcomes is good for an offense. In Brady’s illustrious career, the14-time Pro Bowlerhas thrown 6,277 completions—good forthird placeon the all-time NFL passing completion list led by New Orleans’ Drew Brees.
Just how far in front of the pack is Brees in this category? He leads retired second-place finisher,Brett Favre, by exactly463completions, and Brady by 486.
For Watson to catch Brady’s 6,277 regular season passing completions, the HoustonTexans’ quarterback would need to average approximately 327 completions per season for—you guessed it—17 more seasons.
Career rushing yards
Tom Brady has only rushed for1,002 yardsover a 20-year career. Watson, who has not quite finished his third regular season, has already eclipsed Brady’s mark by accruing1,121career rushing yards.
At Watson’s current pace of averaging roughly 373 yards of rushing per season—should he play 17 more years at the same level—the HoustonTexans‘ quarterback could achieve 7,473 yards on the ground.
That would obliterate the current quarterback career rushing yards total of6,109set byMichael Vick. In case you are wondering, of yet-to-be retired quarterbacks,Cam Newtonleads the NFL pack with4,806regular-season rushing yards.
Career rushing touchdowns
Brady averages are slightly more than one rushing touchdown per regular season. Over 20 seasons,
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the Patriots’ quarterback has found pay dirt with his legsonly 22 times. Conversely, Watson has scored12rushing touchdowns, and by currently averaging four per year, could be on pace to notch 80 rushing touchdowns over a 20-season career.
80 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback would decimate the all-time record set by Carolina’sCam Newton. Theinjured Panthers’ quarterbackleads all non-retired quarterbacks with58 career rushing touchdowns—far and away surpassingSteve Young’s nowsecond-place finish of 43quarterback career rushing touchdowns set in 1998.
Regardless of the outcome of Sunday night’s clash between the Patriots and HoustonTexans, will football fans decades into the future look back on this AFC quarterback matchup as a face-off between two great players, as opposed to justone?
After all, both quarterbacks have chances to set all-time regular-season career records—though, for Watson, those numbers would most likely be attained as a rushing threat. Perhaps, the better question is which quarterback will come must hungry for the win with an A-game performance four days after Thanksgiving?
What do you think? Please leave your comments below.
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