Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has had a 2020 to remember — or repress in his memories.
Aside from the COVID-19 situation, the Texans’ season has been a tectonic shift of emotions all throughout 13 games to this point.
“It’s just every week is something,” Watt said. “I think that’s kind of been — it’s just kind of what it’s been. Whether it’s articles or it’s suspensions or it’s whatever it may be. I mean, every week it seems like there’s been something.”
The first “something” was on Oct. 5 when coach and general manager Bill O’Brien was fired. Of course, Houston starting 0-4 is why O’Brien was fired, which meant the drama was building after the Texans started 0-2.
Though Houston rebounded with a 1-4 mark after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars, they lost in overtime to the Tennessee Titans, 42-36, with the defense giving up the game-tying drive for Tennessee and ultimately the game-losing drive in overtime.
Houston fired their PR director, Amy Palcic, on Nov. 13, which was a shock to Watt and other players.
After a two-game winning streak, including a 41-25 win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, receiver Will Fuller and cornerback Bradley Roby were suspended for the rest of 2020 due to violations of the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy.
Throw in a goal-line fumble to seal their 26-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13, and then a 36-7 embarrassment in Week 14 to the Chicago Bears, and it’s just more drama.
“You just want to play football and you want to be winning,” said Watt. “It’s a lot easier to deal with things like that when you’re winning. So, when you add losing to the equation and then you’re dealing with coaching searches and all this other stuff as well, it’s obviously just a compounding effect.”
The Texans are 4-9 and out of the playoffs, and have just three games left in the horrendous campaign.
Said Watt: “The season hasn’t gone how we had hoped it would. It hasn’t gone how I hoped it would. Like I said all year long, my expectation – this should be nowhere near the expectation, obviously. I don’t believe it is. It certainly hasn’t been enjoyable. That’s for certain.”
Houston initiates the rematch with the Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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