Texans coach Bill O’Brien stopped short of saying that defensive end J.J. Watt would play against the Bears this Sunday during an appearance on PFT Live Tuesday, but it was the kind of stop that could lead to Frank Costanza worrying about someone stealing his move.
The signs that Watt will be in lineup have been growing larger and larger over the last week or so, including Watt’s own comments to the media on Wednesday. Watt said that he never had any doubt that he’d be ready to go for the first week of the regular season after having multiple surgeries this offseason, including an operation on his back in July.
“I can do anything and everything they ask me to do,” Watt said, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “I’m going to try to play every play. There’s no problem whatsoever.”
As Watt mentioned, he doesn’t believe he needs to play a limited number of snaps after being on the shelf all summer. The Texans may disagree, but a player’s going to be at risk of injuring himself on any snaps and the difference between having Watt on the field and not is a big one for the Houston defense.