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Houston Texans: Whitney Mercilus Finishing Strong

By Brian K. Patterson

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Here we are Houston Texans’ fans.

It’s Week 15 and our team is still in the hunt for playoff contention which is quite a feat considering the trails and tribulations that this team has gone through this season.

But with each setback this team has had, they’ve learned a bit from it and tried to improve as a result.

It’s definitely working because although the offense has continued to sputter, the defense has been lights out for the most part.

Up until they took on the Buffalo Bills the week prior, the Texans had gone through multiple quarters in the double-digits since they last allowed a touchdown.

As with a lot, good things sometimes come to an end and one must pick up the pieces as they fall where they may.

Their performance against the New England Patriots was abysmal and I expected more out of my guys to at least give a competing effort against the darlings of the NFL and the defending champs.

Although we kept it close in the first half, the bottom fell out in terms of a lack of focus in sticking to the game plan.

It’s as if they gave up and they no longer could muster any type of competitiveness to keep the game interesting.

I attended the game last Sunday and fans were already filing for the exits quite early into the 4th quarter.

But being the die-hard fan that I am and with hope being my compass to believing of a unthinkable comeback, I stayed and watch the beatings continue.

The writing was already on the wall and I was already thinking about how should we prepare for the Indianapolis Colts this week.

Luckily, that game was not a divisional one where a loss could have a tremendous impact on our positioning to winning the AFC South.

Plus, we got a little help from the Jacksonville Jaguars, who pummeled the defenseless Colts and ground them up until a pitiful remnant of a pulp.

So the season is still alive and our guys should be primed up for this big-time match up to take place Sunday.

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However, despite all of what the Texans have been going through, there’s one guy that has played consistent, smart and inspiring football.

Just who am I talking about?

Not J.J. Watt.

I’m talking about Whitney Mercilus.

As the season has progressed, he continues to get it and gets better and better which each game that passes.

In fact, Pro Football Focus continues to recognize his efforts.

For the past two weeks, PFF has given him a grade of a +3.4 against the Bills and the Patriots and was the top performer of the Texans this past week.

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That’s quite a feat.

The fact that Watt and Jadeveon Clowney are now positioned on each side of him is now opening up opportunities for him to rush his defenders.

He not only got his first sack since Week 8 of earlier this season but he gave Bryan Stock, the Patriots’ center all he could handle, wreaking havoc everywhere he was on the field.

The trends I’m noticing is that the weeks he’s not dominant, it’s when Watt has taken over allowing little wiggle room for him to operate.

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That happened against the New York Jets and the New Orleans Saints, two games totally in Watt’s territory.

So I hope he continues the hard work that he is emanating out on the field because it sure is paying off.

He certainly earning the four-year, $26 million extension that he was rewarded with in the off season.

After a shaky start, it looks like Mercilus is certainly on the way to make his mark for this Texans season, regardless of how it eventually plays out.

Let’s hope for the best!

Go Texans.

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