CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Deshaun Watson shined in his NFL preseason debut, completing 15 of 25 passes for 179 yards and running for a score in the Houston Texans’ 27-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday night.
Watson, who led Clemson to the ACC championship on this field last December en route to the national championship, received a rousing ovation from Tigers fans dressed in orange when he entered the game in the second quarter.
The cheers were even louder when Watson outran two defenders for a 15-yard touchdown – although Panthers fans tried to cover the celebration with boos.
Houston’s first-round draft pick looked comfortable in the pocket, stepping up to avoid pressure and getting rid of the football in a timely manner. He didn’t let penalties on his team affect him and didn’t turn the ball over in nearly three quarters of play.
Tom Savage went three-and-out on his first two possessions against Carolina’s first-team defense. Savage had better luck with Carolina’s starters out of the game, completing 8 of 8 passes for 67 yards on his final drive capped by a 16-yard TD run by Alfred Blue.