Vince Wilfork: "We have our hands full"
Vince Wilfork has played against numerous quarterbacks in his 13 NFL season. On Sunday, he'll face Marcus Mariota for the first time.

"He has legs," Wilfork said. "I try not to compare guys that I've played against but he's special. Like I said, he has a strong arm and also can hurt you on the ground running the ball. We have our hands full. We definitely have our hands full with this offense coming to town."

Wilfork will have be a part of defensive front that will be without J.J. Watt for the first time since Week 17 of the 2010 season. The veteran nose tackle knows all too well the importance of pushing through adversity and injuries.

"The ball's going to continue to roll no matter how you slice it," Wilfork said. "I've been around the game for a long time. I've played with some great teammates that I've lost through the course of the year. It's just another road we have to cross. It's the next man up, so that's how we'll approach it."

This week, the Texans signed former player and free agent Antonio Smith. Wilfork met Smith during a Patriots-Texans game in Houston and spoke briefly with him. He likes Smith's attitude and the experience he brings. Smith's signing brings depth to the defensive line and excitement for the Houston fans. 

Wilfork admits he's excited about the possibility too. Winning fixing everything, according to Wilfork, and everyone needs to have the right mentality heading into Sunday's game. 

"The way he plays this game, he always plays with a chip," Wilfork said. "He has the right mindset to win. I think the more people that we have on this team like that, the better this team will be. I'm glad he's on board and hopefully, like I said, we can get him up to speed quickly because we're going to depend on him. We brought him here for a reason."

The Texans host their first AFC South opponents of 2016, the Tennessee Titans. Kickoff is set for 12 noon CT at NRG Stadium. 

Vince Wilfork has played against numerous quarterbacks in his 13 NFL season. On Sunday, he'll face Marcus Mariota for the first time. Wilfork and the Texans will have do it without J.J. Watt, who was placed on injured reserve this week.

"He has legs," Wilfork said of Mariota. "I try not to compare guys that I've played against but he's special. Like I said, he has a strong arm and also can hurt you on the ground running the ball. We have our hands full. We definitely have our hands full with this offense coming to town."

Wilfork will have be a part of defensive front that will be without Watt for the first time since Week 17 of the 2010 season. The veteran nose tackle knows all too well the importance of pushing through adversity and injuries.

"The ball's going to continue to roll no matter how you slice it," Wilfork said. "I've been around the game for a long time. I've played with some great teammates that I've lost through the course of the year. It's just another road we have to cross. It's the next man up, so that's how we'll approach it."

This week, the Texans signed former player and free agent Antonio Smith. Wilfork met Smith during a Patriots-Texans game in Houston and spoke briefly with him. Smith's signing brings depth to the defensive line. It also adds experience and excitement for the Houston fans, according to Wilfork.

Winning fixing everything, according to Wilfork, and everyone needs the right mentality heading into Sunday's game. Wilfork admits he's excited about the possibilities too.

"The way he plays this game, he always plays with a chip," Wilfork said. "He has the right mindset to win. I think the more people that we have on this team like that, the better this team will be. I'm glad he's on board and hopefully, like I said, we can get him up to speed quickly because we're going to depend on him. We brought him here for a reason."

The Texans host their first AFC South opponents of 2016, the Tennessee Titans. Kickoff is set for 12 noon CT at NRG Stadium.