The Houston Texans will take the field on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills and a familiar face will rejoin the starting lineup. After weeks of recovery, JJ Watt is going to play in Houston's Wild Card matchup versus the Bills, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
During the Texans' Week 8 contest against the Oakland Raiders, Watt suffered a torn pectoral. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year was placed on injured reserve and the initial thought was that he'd be out for the entire season.
But with Watt being superhuman and all, he was ahead of schedule of his recovery. Before last week's game versus the Tennessee Titans, the Texans designated Watt to return from the injured reserve. He had to wait another week, however, as the NFL mandates that those on the injured reserve stay for eight games.
To begin the week, the All-Pro defensive end was able to return to practice. That is a great sign that he will be able to give it a go in the first round of the playoffs.
Of course, there is the chance of re-injury for Watt as he plays in his first game since October. At the same time, with the competitor that Watt is, he isn't going to miss a playoff game unless his arm was falling off.
Before sustaining his pectoral injury, Watt had tallied four sacks, four tackles for loss, 21 quarterback hits, and a forced fumble. While he wasn't the same dominant player he once was, he was still a disruptive force on the defensive line.
In recent weeks, the Texans' defense has faltered, allowing an average of 27.7 points per game since Week 11. Given that information, the return of JJ Watt for Houston will be welcomed.
Follow Us
Subscribe