The Texans opened this season with Tom Savage as the team’s starting quarterback. This was intentional, and by that I mean Houston really wanted to do this (as opposed to situations like the 2016 Patriots or 2014 Panthers who opened the season with — despite what pedants might say — their starting quarterback on the sidelines due to suspension or injury). Even the 2016 Cowboys opened the season with Prescott as their starting quarterback, although that wasn’t exactly how they opened the preseason.

But if the Texans make the playoffs, it will be because of Deshaun Watson (at least, as opposed to because of Tom Savage). Absent injury, Watson will be the team’s starting quarterback for the majority (if not all) of Houston’s wins in 2016. That separates Houston from teams like the 2016 Dolphins or 2014 Cardinals, who may have made the playoffs with backup quarterbacks but still saw Tannehill and Palmer lead their team in wins.

So how rare would it be for a playoff team to make the playoffs while riding a true backup quarterback? Obviously the definition of a true backup is open to interpretation, but I am referring to situations where the quarterback who led the team in wins was not atop the team’s depth chart as the season began (excluding injuries/suspension — Watson didn’t begin the year on the bench for that reason).

There have been 180 teams to make the playoffs since 2002. Of those teams, just 14 — or about one per year — made the playoffs with a true backup quarterback. Again, this excludes the 2016 Patriots (Brady suspension) and the 2014 Panthers (Newton injury), along with the 2010 Steelers (who opened the year with Dennis Dixon at quarterback in place of a suspended Ben Roethlisberger) and 2002 Browns (who played Kelly Holcomb for an injured Tim Couch in the opener).

It happened 11 times from 2002 to 2008, but only three times in the last 9 years.

2013 Eagles: Philadelphia opened the year with Michael Vick at quarterback, but he lost the job after week five to Nick Foles. Vick finished the year 2-4 as starter (Foles missed a start later in the year due to injury), while Foles went 8-2.

2011 Broncos: Kyle Orton opened the season as the starter, but went just 1-4. Denver eventually turned to you know who — Tim Tebow — who went 7-4 as the starter, willing/guiding/divining the Broncos to the playoffs.

2010 Eagles: Here, Michael Vick led the Eagles to the playoffs, but not as the starter. Philadelphia began the year with Kevin Kolb as the starter, but he was injured and played poorly in week 1, with Vick replacing him that day. Kolb returned as the starter in games 5-6-7, but after that, it was Vick’s team the rest of the way. Vick had a magical season, the best of his career, leading Philadelphia to the postseason with an 8-3 record as the starter.

Other instances:

• 2008 Vikings (Tarvaris Jackson opened as the starter, replaced by Gus Frerotte)
• 2008 Titans (Vince Young, Kerry Collins)
• 2006 Cowboys (Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo)
• 2006 Chiefs (Trent Green, Damon Huard)
• 2005 Bucs (Brian Griese, Chris Simms)
• 2005 Redskins (Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell)
• 2004 Steelers (Tommy Maddox, Roethlisberger)
• 2003 Panthers (Rodney Peete, Jake Delhomme)
• 2003 Rams (Kurt Warner, Marc Bulger)
• 2002 Steelers (Kordell Stewart, Tommy Maddox)
• 2002 Jets (Vinny Testaverde, Chad Pennington)

Only a few of these cases — Romo, Roethlisberger, and Pennington — featured a Watson-like situation, with a young, exciting quarterback leading the way.   And of those, only Roethlisberger was a first round rookie like Watson.

It’s still really early for Watson, but he’s making good progress: he had a 60.4 passer rating in week 1, was at 75.9 in week 2, 90.6 in week 3, and then 125.0 on Sunday.