The Houston Texans once again are losing men across their top-tier defensive squad. They lost 2 major contributors within 10 plays of each other.
Whitney Mercilus seventh play of the game and was quickly ruled out with a chest injury; Watt followed seven plays later.
Mercilus was diagnosed with a torn pectoral and was ruled out for the rest of the game, later the season. Mercilus as a strong contributor in both 2015 and 2016 leading the team in sacks with 7.5 last year.
The Texans also lost defensive-end JJ Watt to a tibial plateau fracture in his left leg. There is no timetable for his return according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Texans say they’re uncertain how long JJ Watt will be out with his tibial plateau fracture to his left leg.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 9, 2017
Watt fell to the ground while engaged in a block before he was carried off the field. He was later seen using crutches to leave the x-ray room and left the stadium in an ambulance.
“I don’t have a ton of information about it, but I feel terrible for the guy,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said of Watt. “But with that being said, just knowing him and knowing the type of guy that he is, he’s an amazing human being. And he will work extremely hard to be back to play for this football team. I know that.”
Two Dallas Cowboys have recently dealt with this injury, middle linebacker Anthony Hitchens and receiver Dez Bryant, while Dez only missed 3 games the former has been put on an eight-week timeline.
Both Watt and his brother TJ tweeted, JJ apologized to Houston and the fans while TJ showed support for his elder brother.
I can’t sugarcoat it, I am devastated.
All I want to do is be out there on that field for my teammates and this city.
I’m sorry.— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) October 9, 2017
Heartbroken For You Brother. #InjuriesSuck @JJWatt
— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) October 9, 2017
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year had just come off a major injury in 2016 missing the last 13 games of the season coming off back surgery. Watt had registered 13 tackles but no sacks in the first four games of 2017.
Check out the other big injuries across the NFL from week 5 on the Def Pen Injury Recap
