Watt’s long-awaited return a litmus test
Defensive end to find out a lot about where he stands by facing Brady, Patriots at Gillette
Trudging out of the locker room two years ago at Gillette Stadium, J.J. Watt was an aching shell of his usually robust self.
Watt had been uncharacteristically shoved around during the game, another loss to the New England Patriots. He was unable to generate his usual power at the line of scrimmage.
It turned out there was a good reason why Watt wasn’t at full strength.
The Texans’ star defensive end had aggravated a surgically repaired herniated disk and would need to undergo season-ending surgery.
A year later, Watt suffered a gruesome broken leg against the Kansas City Chiefs that required him to undergo another surgery.
In his latest comeback having made a full recovery from the back and leg injuries and arriving at a career crossroads, the threetime NFL Defensive Player of the Year is set to make his return Sunday to Gillette Stadium in the season opener.
The medical odyssey Watt has endured could pay off when he gets to chase Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
“I’m very excited,” Watt said. “I’m sure there are a lot of people who are cautiously optimistic. Obviously, the last two years we’ve said the same thing. So I’m just looking forward to going out there and playing football, letting it loose, having fun and letting the chips fall where they may.
“It’s been a long road; it’s been a grind. It’s been a lot of ups and downs over the last couple of years, obviously, but I love this game, I love my teammates … and I love coming to work every day. I just love being a part of it.”
Although Watt has been limited to eight games, 23 tackles and 1½ sacks over the past two seasons, that has done nothing to diminish the respect paid to him.
“He’s very hard to block,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “He’s a great player, one of the great players in the league.”
Watt understands the skepticism surrounding him.
At 29, Watt hasn’t been at the top of his game for the past couple years due to injuries. Memories fade about Watt’s old dominant form when he provided a gamewrecking, relentless presence.
“Yeah, I think my mindset has probably changed on that a little bit over the years, too,” Watt said. “I’ve realized there’s people that doubt the best players in the history of the game. I’m sure there’s people that doubt Tom, which, he’s the best quarterback of alltime.
“I’ve learned that people’s opinions don’t really matter. The people’s opinions that I care about are my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my girlfriend. Whatever everyone else thinks doesn’t affect my life, but I’m going to go out there and try and make those people I mentioned proud.”
Although Watt has been sidelined for 24 games since the 2011 season when he entered the NFL, Watt leads all players during that span with 136 tackles for losses, 219 quarterback hits, 13 fumble recoveries and 21 multiple-sack games. He ranks second with 76 sacks. He’s first among defensive linemen with 47 passes defensed, earning the nickname, “J.J. Swat.”
“J.J.’s just an unbelievable guy to be around,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “To be around this guy, to know what he’s gone through and then to see what he’s been able to do coming back from injury in this training camp and where he’s at right now, I’m excited to see him play.”
Last year with Watt on the field at Gillette Stadium, the Texans absorbed a 36-33 loss despite sacking Brady five times and hitting him eight times.
To make his return and to do it against the Patriots is significant for Watt. This game provides a litmus test for Watt as well as the overall quality of a Texans team trying to engineer a turnaround following a 4-12 season.
“Losing is always frustrating,” Watt said. “If there’s one thing that Tom Brady knows how to do, it’s win and find a way to win. So that’s our goal, that’s our task for ourselves, to find a way to win, no matter what the situation, no matter what happens.
“There’s always going to be adversity. You have to find a way to overcome it and come out with the victory. So that’s obviously what we’re looking forward to doing on Sunday.”