Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt faced Jacoby Brissett one time. In Week 3 of 2016, the Texans faced the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium for a Thursday nighter, and the AFC East juggernaut rolled out a rookie quarterback in place of Tom Brady, who was suspended the first four games of the season.
Watt remembers playing against Brissett, even though the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year would leave the game with a herniated disc that would begin a whole two-year injury diaspora for the legendary talent that played in just eight games over that span.
“He does a good job back there,” Watt told reporters Wednesday. “He’s tough to bring down. I think that’s one thing that I’ve noticed about him.”
Brissett has taken 14 hits, the 14th-most in the NFL, and he has been sacked just six times, tied with Jimmy Garoppolo for the fewest in the NFL among starting quarterbacks who have played every game since Week 1. These are just a few metrics that underscore how difficult it is for opposing pass rushers to bring down Brissett.
“He can obviously move a bit, but even when guys get to him and hit him, he’s tough to bring down,” Watt explained. “He’s tough and physical, so you’ve got to do a good job and make sure that once you get there you finish the play.”
The Texans take on the Colts at noon Central Time Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. For Houston, it is their second AFC South game of the season, and a chance to extend their winning streak to three games and establish a 5-2 record. With the Colts at 3-2 on the season, a win would improve them to 4-3 while dropping the Texans to 4-3, giving Indianapolis an early lead in the division while also developing a head-to-head tiebreaker.
