Ravens coach John Harbaugh says Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson will be a unique challenge on Sunday because of how long he holds onto the football.
Harbaugh said that Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and that his ability to extend plays rather than throw the ball away is a big part of that.
“He actually holds the ball longer than anybody in the league,” Harbaugh said. “I think their offensive line does a good job; the scheme is part of that, but it’s really mainly him. And he does it to create opportunities for the pass game.”
The NFL’s Next Gen Stats actually say Watson had, on average, 2.59 seconds to throw in Week One, which makes him middle of the pack — far from holding the ball longer than any other quarterback. But those stats don’t necessarily refute Harbaugh’s point about Watson’s ability to extend plays. When some other quarterbacks would take a sack or throw the ball away, Watson is still looking downfield.