J.J. Watt batted down four passes, got a tackle for loss and caused problems for the Patriots on Sunday at NRG Stadium.
And nothing he did surprised New England quarterback Cam Newton.
"He's J.J. Watt," Newton said. "What do you expect?"
Watt and the Texans took care of New England, 27-20, in the Week 11 win. Newton was hit eight times, sacked twice, and limited to six yards on three carries. Watt's the first defensive lineman in NFL history to ever record four batted passes and a tackle for loss in a game, and he was very matter-of-fact when asked about his individual accolades.
"It was all right," Watt said. "We got a win. That's what you're looking for. That's what you're going for, so it was good."
Interim head coach Romeo Crennel was happy to see Watt turn in another excellent performance.
"I enjoy seeing that from J.J., and probably the most impact was to the opposing quarterback because when J.J. is on, they know he's coming," Crennel said. "He gets the quarterback off the spot and makes it tough for the quarterback to get his feet set and throw the ball down the field."
The Texans fell behind, 7-0, to start the game. Later, the Patriots held a 10-7 advantage. But with just under 4 minutes remaining in the half, Deshaun Watson powered in for a touchdown run. The Texans never trailed again in the game, and Watt said that helped him and the defense have even more success.
"When you get yourself in a good position, it's a lot easier and a lot more fun to play from that way," Watt said. "Hopefully, we can do that more as we head out to close out the season here."
Watt and the Texans will head to Detroit on Wednesday for a Thanksgiving Day contest versus the Lions.
