As Saturday’s AFC wild-card with the Buffalo Bills approaches, the availability of Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt becomes clearer.
On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said that they will ease Watt in with pass rushing duties. Now, coach Bill O’Brien says the club could use more of the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
“We’ve had good practices,” O’Brien told reporters Thursday. “J.J.’s been right in there and performing his role to the best of his ability and I think everybody’s been locked in. It’s going to take that to win the game.
“Buffalo’s a very good team, a very disciplined team. So, I think we’ve had a good week. We got to have a good day today.”
The Texans could use anything and everything from an effective Watt. The Texans defense finished tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the sixth-fewest sacks in the NFL with 31. They also finished in the bottom-10 of tackles for loss with a paltry 51. Only the Miami Dolphins with 48 and the Detroit Lions with 49 had fewer.
“He’s playing,” O’Brien. “That’s what I mean, though. He’ll be in there quite a bit.”
