There was a report on Thursday night that the Texans had determined that defensive end J.J. Watt wouldn’t return at any point this season after being placed on injured reserve and it’s safe to close the book on him until 2017.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien confirmed on Friday that Watt will not be able to return from his back injury this year. Watt had surgery on Thursday, marking the second time that he’s had an operation on his back in the last few months.
The loss of Watt is a big one for the Texans, obviously, and finding success in his absence will take better results across the board. Friday brought word that O’Brien will resume calling plays on offense to ensure that unit does its part, although O’Brien said that the key remains what happens after the play’s been sent in.
“I’m responsible for every play that goes into the game,” O’Brien said. “It doesn’t matter who calls the plays. It’s all about the execution.”
The Texans will try to execute better against the Titans this Sunday than they did against the Patriots in a 27-0 loss their last time out.