J.J. Watt: What his injury means for the Bears
Yesterday, it was announced that Houston Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt had back surgery recently to repair a herniated disc. The surgery will keep him out of action for approximately eight weeks, and may make him miss Opening Day. You know who the Texans play on Week 1? The Chicago Bears.
If Watt’s injury recovery goes as planned, he will likely miss the showdown against the Bears. This obviously will hurt the Texans, as Watt is the best defensive player in the league. Not having him means that their defense will be a lot less intimidating. Even though they will still have Whitney Mercilus off the edge, their pass rush won’t nearly be as effective as it would be with J.J. Watt.
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As for the Bears, this would put them in an easier situation to win the game. I had them losing to the Texans in my predictions, so not having to face Watt may change that. In my predictions article, I have the Bears ended up as 9-7, with one of those losses coming to Houston. If they could end up beating a slightly more vulnerable Texans team, they would become 10-6, which would likely end up with a playoff spot. A win right out the gate against a playoff team would be crucial for the Bears’ confidence.
Sure, the Texans would still have great players on their team come Week 1, but losing their best one would sure hurt. Without J.J. Watt, this Opening Day matchup becomes a lot closer, and will be very important for two teams who could be battling for a playoff spot this year.
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