With great stats and a 4-12 record, Deshaun Watson had an unprecedented season

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Only four quarterbacks in NFL history have finished a season with more than 4,500 passing yards, more than 30 touchdowns, fewer than 10 interceptions and an average of more than 8.5 yards per pass. Those quarterbacks were:

Peyton Manning in 2004, when the Colts went 12-4.

Aaron Rodgers in 2011, when the Packers went 15-1.

Matt Ryan in 2016, when the Falcons went 11-5.

And Deshaun Watson in 2020, when the Texans went 4-12.

Watson’s performance this season was unprecedented, because ordinarily when a quarterback is playing at an MVP level, his team is winning. Watson had his great season on one of the worst teams in the NFL.

The Texans lost eight games this season in which Deshaun Watson threw 25 or more passes and had a passer rating over 100. Never before in NFL history had a quarterback lost more than five such games in a season.

It’s hard to be as bad as the Texans are when your quarterback is playing as well as Watson is, but the Texans found a way. Unfortunately for Watson, the Texans are in bad salary cap shape and don’t have a first-round pick or a second-round pick next season. It’s going to be hard for Houston to get better. Watson is doing all he can.