Jadeveon Clowney picked up the first fumble recovery of his career in Thursday's 13-9 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The former South Point High School track star nearly outran every player in a Bengal uniform, except for one.
Quarterback Andy Dalton.
"I didn't see him, but I was kind of upset," Clowney said. "I should have scored."
Dalton got a hand on Clowney to bring him down at the Cincinnati 20-yard line, but only after the Pro Bowler's impressive 49-yard return. Kareem Jackson's hit on John Ross caused the fumble at the Houston 32-yard line.
"He was moving, though, he was moving," head coach Bill O'Brien said Friday. "He can run. It's pretty amazing. He's 270-something pounds. That was a great play by Kareem Jackson. Kareem Jackson came in and knocked the ball out and the ball popped right to JD and he reversed field and went. I was glad he went the right way because he was headed the other way. But no, it was a good play."
After the game, Clowney joked that if had seen him coming, he might have exchanged some words with the Bengals quarterback, asking him how he suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Some of his teammates also had some fun at the Pro Bowler's expense.
"Just some locker room jokes, he gave us some locker room material," Kareem Jackson said. "I know everybody is definitely going to get on his case about that but great awareness by him. Honestly, after the hit I didn't see the ball. I didn't see what happened. I saw he had it and I saw he was returning it but after that I really didn't see anything else but it was great for us as a defense and as a team."
Clowney finished the game with four tackles (three solo), including one tackle for loss, one pass defensed and the fumble recovery.
The Texans improved to 1-1 on the season and will travel to Gillette Stadium to play the New England Patriots in Week 3.
The Texans faced the Bengals in Cincinnati on Thursday Night Football.
