Three-time defensive player of the year J.J. Watt is frustrated and for a good reason.
He’s playing for a franchise that has suddenly lost its swagger and appears satisfied just wallowing in a state of defeat.
The Houston Texans have won only four of 15 games this year and Watt made it known how disturbed he feels after the Texans lost last week to the lowly Cincinnati Bengals 37-31.
In an interview after the game, he went into a rage over Houston’s losing ways, and how some of his teammates were not making an effort to be winners.
Watt basically reminded his teammates that they were professionals being paid millions to win and not to lose.
He said they were not working hard enough to justify being paid their high salaries or to even wear a Houston Texans uniform.
Apparently, Watt, who one day will be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is correct.
Blame whom you like, Houston is not Super Bowl material now, nor will it be anytime in the near future.
The Texans have a promising young quarterback in Deshaun Watson, but rebuilding around Watson will take years.
It’s Time for No. 99 to Find Another Team
Watt doesn’t have years. It’s time for No. 99 to find a better team, a team with championship potential. That team could well be the team the Texans play Sunday in the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans, with Derrick Henry running like a steamroller, are expected to beat Houston with ease, dropping the Texans to 4-12 on the season.
With a victory Sunday, Tennessee will bring to a close Houston’s two-year run as division champion, A spot in the playoffs awaits the Titans.
With a non-guaranteed year remaining on Watt’s contract, it’s not a problem if Houston desires to trade him.
Watt doesn’t play with the authority he once did, and his health is certainly a questionable factor. He is, indeed, a risk for any prospective employer.
Of course, Watt could play out his career in Houston and join a long list of Hall of Famers who never won Super Bowl rings.
The list would include:
- Dick Butkus
- Deacon Jones
- John Randle
- Lee Roy SelmonÂ
Still, Watt has a clear picture of what is happening in Houston. When ex-coach Bill O’Brien replaced Rick Smith as general manager in a front office power struggle, a downward spiral would result. This was after the 2017 season.
Losing DeAndre Hopkins Adds to Houston’s Downhill Spiral
O’Brian has made some bad deals, the worst being when he practically gave away wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Watt says he hurts a lot because of the way Houston fans have had to suffer through it all.
Watt has these options:
- He could stay in Houston for the remainder of his career.
- He could sign as a free agent with a new club in a new environment.Â
- He could demand to be traded now and salvage what little is left of his career.
You have to think that the 31-year-old Watt, if he can avoid injury, still has some quality downs left in him.
Some team like the Titans, who may be a season away from the Super Bowl, could use Watt’s pass-rushing skills.
Tennessee has only 15 sacks on the year, a horrible figure that would improve with Watt’s arrival.
Tennessee and J.J. Watt. It could be a marriage maybe not made in heaven, but a marriage that could bring Watt a coveted Super Bowl ring.
