Defensive end J.J. Watt does not know what his return will look like when he takes the field for the Houston Texans in their inevitable wild-card game during the weekend of Jan. 4-5. However, he is confident in the plan the coaches devise when the playoff game arrives.
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year believes that the next two weeks of practice will determine how ready he is and how many plays he can handle to be an effective contributor for the Texans defense.
“I’m sure it’s not going to be an every play type of thing, just for the first one back,” Watt told reporters Tuesday. “don’t think that would be the best situation, but we’ll see how it feels over the next two weeks and get a gauge for it before we go into that game and I’m sure we’ll have a good plan going in.”
Watt produced 24 tackles, 4.0 sacks, four tackles for loss, three pass deflections, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in his eight starts before sustain a torn pectoral muscle that seemingly knocked him out for the season. Now, Watt is eyeing a comeback to help the AFC South champions win a playoff game for the first time since Jan. 7, 2017 in the AFC wild-card against the Raiders.
What excites Watt about a return is the way the Texans have been playing en route to their 10-5 record.
Said Watt: “We’ve found ways to win, you find ways to win football games, and I’m excited to get back out there and to help in any way I can, obviously get after the passer. That’s always my number one goal is find the football, get the football, so that’s what I’m going to continue to do and that’s what I’m hoping to get back out there and help these guys do is get after the quarterback.”
The Texans’ defense has generated 31 sacks on the season, the eighth-lowest in the NFL. Only the Seattle Seahawks, with their third-lowest 26, join Houston as playoff teams in the bottom-10 of that category. Having Watt back to help with the pass rush may be the secret sauce to help the Texans go deep into the postseason.