He’s every opposing quarterback’s worst nightmare.
The reason NFL offensive coordinator’s don’t sleep the week the Houston Texans are on the schedule.
Former college tight end-turned defensive end-turned NFL Pro-Bowler J.J. Watt can do it all. The Wisconsin Badger product can disrupt a pass play or just as easily blow up the run. The 6’5, 290-pound defensive end already has 30.5 career sacks and an AFC Defensive Player of the Year Award on his resume. Not bad for a guy who’s only played two and a half years in the NFL.
Sunday afternoon in Glendale it will be the Arizona Cardinals turn to try to slow down who many consider one of the best defensive players in the game.
“It’s an all-day chore,” Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said Wednesday. “He’s going to switch sides, right and left, he’s going to be over our tackles and he’s also going to be over both guards. Everybody is going to get a piece of him.”
For the Cards sake hopefully he doesn’t get a piece of Carson Palmer. Regardless, expect Watt to be disruptive knocking down passes just like he blocked shots during his high school basketball days in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
“Odds are, once in awhile, he’s going to get his hands on one,” Palmer told the assembled media before practice Wednesday. “But you can’t go outside your game plan…he’s very good at what he does and odds are he’s done it every game and it will happen. You just have to reload and go to the next play.”
So what is the best way to stop, much less slow down Watt?
He’s not even sure.
“That’s a good question,” Watt said laughing during a conference call in Tempe. “I’d use two guys.”
The Texans (2-6) will be without head coach Gary Kubiak who collapsed at halftime of Houston’s loss to the Colts Sunday night. Wade Phillips was named interim coach Wednesday.
The Cardinals (4-4) are hoping to keep their momentum coming off a bye week. They play at winless Jacksonville next week.
Kickoff Sunday is set for 2:25.
Eric Sorenson
Common theme describes Cards first day of OTA’s
