Tag: Whitney Mercilus

Whitney Mercilus, Christian Covington aided Texans DE J.J. Watt’s recovery from torn pectoral

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said that he talked to Christian Covington and Whitney Mercilus about recovering from a torn pectoral.

Torn pectorals are not an uncommon injury for defensive linemen and pass rushers. Being that the chest is integral to upper body strength while beating blocks, one bad twist, turn or flex can end one’s season.

For Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, the injury ended his season on Oct. 27 against the Oakland Raiders, until it didn’t. Surprisingly he returned to practice on Tuesday. He is expected to play in the postseason after recovering from the injury in two months, beating the expected recovery by one to two months.

Watt employed the help of one former and one current teammate to aid his recovery. He talked to former Texans — and current Dallas Cowboys — defensive end Christian Covington and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus about it.

“I talked to him (Whitney Mercilus) a little bit early on about it,” Watt said on Tuesday. “I talked to Cov (Christian Covington) about it, Cov was here last year. I’ve talked to a couple of guys about it and just their experience and just doing whatever I can. That’s all it’s been the last two months. ‘Whatever I’m allowed to do.’ Whatever the doctors and training staff have said I can do, that’s what I’ve done.”

Covington has not torn his pectoral. However, he has suffered a devastating season-ending, upper-body injury.  On Oct. 30, 2017, in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks, he sustained a torn bicep, marking the end of a promising year.

Mercilus suffered a torn pectoral earlier in the same season. He did so on Oct. 9, 2017, in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The outside linebacker did not return, sustaining an ailment that saw his muscle come off the bone.

Unlike both Covington and Mercilus, Watt is back. His recovery time is improbable. However, that didn’t stop him from blowing away expectations, partly thanks to a pair of teammates, former and current.

Texans’ defensive grades from 23-20 win over the Buccaneers

The Houston Texans defense turned in an opportunistic performance against the Tamp Bay Buccaneers Saturday afternoon in a 23-20 win in Week 16.

The Houston Texans defense was going against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense captained by quarterback Jameis Winston that would be feast and famine, not one or the other. Because of how wide open Winston is, second in the NFL with 30 touchdown passes and first in the NFL in interceptions entering Week 16, the Texans were going to get their opportunities.

defensive line

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

The pass rush wasn’t as prolific as the defensive line didn’t sack Winston. Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus managed 2.0 while nose tackle Brandon Dunn notched 1.0 himself. The run game also got going with 106 yards and a touchdown produced on 21 carries. Defensive tackle D.J. Reader had three tackles and a quarterback hit. Rookie defensive end Charles Omenihu had an illegal chop block on Justin Reid’s interception return that would have given Houston back-to-back pick-sixes to start the game. Angelo Blackson added three tackles, and Omenihu managed a pass breakup.

Grade: B
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7 crazy stats from the Texans’ 23-20 win over the Buccaneers

The Houston Texans beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 Saturday afternoon in Week 16, and there were some crazy stats that happened along the way.

The Houston Texans clinched the AFC South with a 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium. In the Texans’ 10th win of the season, the six-time division champs had a few notable statistics occur that are worth mentioning.

1. watt’s up with angelo blackson?

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(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

With a blocked field goal against the Buccaneers, defensive end Angelo Blackson joined J.J. Watt as the only player in Texans history to record multiple field goal blocks in a single season.

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Texans would like to bring back OLB Whitney Mercilus

After defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien stated that he wants to bring back outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus.

The Houston Texans’ pass rush is a struggling bunch without defensive end J.J. Watt. They would like to keep all the talent they have on-board.

After defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20, Texans coach Bill O’Brien echoed that notion. In the offseason, the Texans would like to re-sign one of their top pass rushers in outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus.

“Whitney is a hard worker,” O’Brien said postgame. “He’s an excellent teammate and we want Whitney back here… we want him to be part of our team for a while.”

Mercilus, 29, recorded two sacks in the victory over the Bucs. In doing so, he notched a sack for the first time since Week 7, Oct. 20 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Mercilus is a free agent at the end of the season, as his four-year deal worth  $26 million signed on May 5, 2015, is expiring. If he were to sign a contract with the Texans, it would be the third he would receive with the team.

On the season, Mercilus has 7.5 sacks. He got off to a quick-start, tallying his first five in the first four weeks of play. He also has two interceptions, both being one in the red zone against high-grade teams, the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans.

Originally, the Texans made Mercilus a first-round selection out of Illinois in the 2012 NFL Draft. In 114 games with the team (88 starts) he has 50 sacks, 315 combined tackles, 104 quarterback hits and 63 tackles for loss.

Mercilus has acted as a consistent outside linebacker for the Texans since 2012. He turned into a well-respected player league-wide in 2015, when, amid injuries to the rest of the defense, he stepped-up, tallying a 12-sack season, his only season of double-digit sacks.

On Tuesday, the NFL Mercilus as a Pro Bowl alternate at outside linebacker. If Von Miller, T.J. Watt or Matthew Judon don’t play and the Texans don’t play in the Super Bowl, he could go for the first time in his eight-year career

What does Romeo Crennel tell the Texans’ Pro Bowl alternates?

The Houston Texans have Pro Bowl alternates on defense, and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel has solid advice for all of them.

The Houston Texans have three Pro Bowl alternates in defensive tackle D.J. Reader, inside linebacker Zach Cunningham, and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus.

Considered a “snub” as they weren’t named initial starters or reserves on the AFC’s all-star roster, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel has seen his fair share of snubs in his 39 years of coaching at the pro level. His message resonates.

“Like I told Whitney, because Whitney I think is an alternate also, sometimes Whitney doesn’t feel like that people notice what he does, and I told him, I said, ‘People notice what you do. That’s why you got the award. That’s why you’re where you are,'” Crennel told reporters Wednesday.

In the case of Mercilus, he is tied for the second-most forced fumbles among AFC linebackers with four and is tied for the fourth-most interceptions among linebackers in the conference with two. He isn’t leading any particular statistical category like Cunningham is, who has the most tackles in the AFC with 128.

“He shows up every game,” Crennel said. “Many games he’s been a double-digit tackler the last couple of games anyway. That tells you that he’s around the ball, he’s fitting where he’s supposed to fit. That’s a good accomplishment for him and it’s well deserved.”

However, the third-year linebacker is an alternate. The nearest Pro Bowler is the Indianapolis Colts’ Darius Leonard with 104, the fifth-most in the AFC.

Another overlooked defender is Reader, who has produced career highs with 2.5 sacks, 49 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits.

“In our system, they don’t get many accolades,” Crennel explained. “They take a pounding and all that, but I think they realize their importance to the defense and the linebackers definitely realize the job that they do.”

The one accolade all of the Texans’ alternates seek is to play on Super Bowl Sunday. That would be worth getting overlooked for the Pro Bowl.

OLB Whitney Mercilus headlines the 5 Texans 2020 Pro Bowl alternates

The Houston Texans announced their five Pro Bowl alternates, and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus is one of them.

The Houston Texans announced Tuesday evening they had three selections to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl in quarterback Deshaun Watson, receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

The Texans are one of the teams in the league that also makes public their Pro Bowl alternates. Here are the five Texans who have been sensational throughout the season but didn’t make the cut to be a part of the AFC roster.

1. OLB whitney mercilus

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(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The 29-year-old edge defender was off to a fast start with four forced fumbles through the first five weeks of the season. However, Mercilus, much like the Texans’ pass rush, tapered off midway through the season. He also saw more double teams as defensive end J.J. Watt tore his pectoral muscle and teams keyed on the former 2012 first-round pick as the Texans’ only credible pass rusher. A second-team All-Pro in 2016, Mercilus has been on the cusp of getting more premier accolades. His alternate status shows once more how close he has come.

Who’s ahead: Ravens OLB Matt Judon, Broncos OLB Von Miller, Steelers OLB T.J. Watt

Chances to make the team: Fairly good given that Judon could be playing in the Super Bowl and Miller, who has had an injury plagued season and already named to eight Pro Bowls, may back out.

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Bill O’Brien didn’t get to see Texans OLB Whitney Mercilus’ interception versus the Titans

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien was unable to see OLB Whitney Mercilus’ interception against the Tennessee Titans Sunday in Week 15’s 24-21 win.

Coach Bill O’Brien still has considerable input in the Houston Texans’ offense. As such, he doesn’t get to spend every down watching the defense.

Take Sunday’s 24-21 win over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium for example. With the Titans driving for a touchdown and about to start a first-and-goal from the 5-yard line, O’Brien knew the Texans’ next possession was nigh. May as well meet with offensive coordinator Tim Kelly and quarterback Deshaun Watson to go over the snapshots from the series before to execute a better drive.

As such, O’Brien only heard the crowd’s reaction when safety Justin Reid blasted tight end Anthony Firkser and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus returned the takeaway 86 yards to the Titans’ 12-yard line.

“I just heard the reaction and then I turned and saw Whitney running,” O’Brien told reporters Monday. “It was a great play. Really a great play by Justin and Whitney did a nice job getting us down there on that 80 however long he ran, 80-plus yards. It was a great play.”

Watson capped off the abbreviated drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kenny Stills, who caught two on the afternoon to aid Houston’s improvement to a 9-5 record.

“It got the ball down there in the red area,” said O’Brien. “It was a big play because they were going in to score. I mean, it was a very opportunistic play. Justin made a great play and then the ball popped to Whitney and he turned and became a ball carrier, which we talk about a lot, and try to drill that sometimes, relative to tackling drills and things we do in the offseason.”

In addition to Mercilus taking lessons from the offseason all the way to a hostile venue in December, O’Brien was appreciative that the offense cashed in with a touchdown rather than field goal.

Said O’Brien: “I think if you have a play like that and then they hold you to a field goal, there’s a little bit of wind out of the sails on that. So, we were able to turn that into a touchdown on the throw to Kenny, so it was a good part of the game.”

Because of Mercilus’ big play and its significance in the win, Houston will be able to clinch the AFC South with a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday in Week 16.

Bill O’Brien credits ‘good locker room’ for Texans’ bouncing back to beat Titans 24-21

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien knows precisely why his team was able to bounce back from a big letdown in Week 14 and come out strong.

The Houston Texans took it on the chin 38-24 at home against the Denver Broncos in Week 14. However, the first place club in the AFC South didn’t let the loss fester as they responded with a gutty 24-21 win over the Tennessee Titans Sunday afternoon in Week 15 at Nissan Stadium.

Coach Bill O’Brien, who has led Houston to their fifth winning season in his six with the team, knows precisely why the Texans were able to put the loss behind them and beat the Titans in a two-game series for the division title.

“We have got a good locker room,” O’Brien told reporters. “These guys, they turned the page. They were focused this week. It was a good week of practice. We put a lot of time in and we knew it would going to be a very difficult game.”

What made playing the Titans difficult was twofold. Firstly, the Titans had won six of their last seven ballgames, responding to the insertion of Ryan Tannehill at starting quarterback. Secondly, Houston had not won at the Titans’ home venue since 2015 when it was last called LP Field.

“On the road, a tough place to play, a good football team, so I give our guys a lot of credit,” said O’Brien. “They overcame a lot of adversity and we were able to come in here and get a win.”

Quarterback Deshaun Watson threw two red zone interceptions. The Titans also battled back from a 14-0 halftime deficit to tie the game up with 13:35 to play. Rather than wilting or feeling that a blown fourth quarter lead was imminent, the Texans battled back.

“It was a very tough win, and they’ve got a good team, and we will see them again in two weeks,” O’Brien said.

While the Texans will face the Titans once more in Week 17 at NRG Stadium, a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16 at Raymond James Stadium will deliver Houston the AFC South title for the second straight year. Nonetheless, it would not have been possible if the Texans had not had a strong locker room all season long.

Texans S Justin Reid knew the Titans’ play on Whitney Mercilus’ tip-drill interception

The Tennessee Titans couldn’t fool Houston Texans S Justin Reid, who knew the play that led to OLB Whitney Mercilus’ interception in the 24-21 win.

In the Houston Texans’ 24-21 win over the Tennessee Titans Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium, the team captured early momentum in the second quarter on a big defensive play.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill dropped back and targeted Anthony Firkser on a pick route. Texans safety Justin Reid read the play and exploded like a rocket launcher into the tight end’s chest. The ball popped out, finding itself in outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus’ outreached arms.

Mercilus took the ball 84 yards down the field. Two plays later, the Texans scored the first touchdown of the game; the offense and Mercilus can thank Reid for making the play.

He knew what he was doing.

“When we saw the formation we lined up well,” Reid said postgame. “We saw that play in film, and the coaches did a great job of preparing us. I didn’t want to guess it so I played my rules, but when I saw the way he (Firkser) skipped off the line of scrimmage I knew he was running a little rub route.

“So I was going to meet him at the point at the goal line and I knew it was either going to be him or me, and I know he’s not going to score on me. I put my shoulder on the ball and ended up popping it up.”

Reid won’t get credited with the interception. Mercilus now has two on the season. However, he was clearly the catalyst to the success of — or lack thereof, if you’re reading in Nashville. However, his focus isn’t on the statistic; it’s the momentum gained.

“The awareness by Whitney Mercilus to be there, catch the ball, and take it I don’t know how many yards,” Reid said. “It was a turning point in the game and really gave the team a lot of juice and momentum.”

The juice and momentum led to a victory that now, paired with a win over the final two weeks, will deliver the Texans their second consecutive AFC South title and sixth in franchise history.

Texans OLB Whitney Mercilus’s interception cancels Titans’ red zone trip

Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus produced an interception that canceled the Tennessee Titans’ red zone trip.

The Houston Texans needed a big play against the Tennessee Titans, and their defense did not disappoint.

On a first-and-goal from the Texans’ 5-yard line, quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw a pass to tight end Anthony Firkser that was sure to score a touchdown. However, safety Justin Reid hit Firkser, jarred the ball loose, and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus grabbed the ball on a tip drill.

With his second career interception, gathered all in 2019, Mercilus sprinted 86 yards down the right sideline to the Titans’ 12-yard line.

The Texans eventually scored with a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson to receiver Kenny Stills. The extra point put the Texans ahead 7-0 with 9:59 to play in the second quarter.