WATCH: Texans DE Whitney Mercilus sacks Panthers QB Sam Darnold

Houston Texans defensive end Whitney Mercilus was able to get his 56th career sack by dropping Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold Thursday night at NRG Stadium.

Mercilus knew that getting a sack of the former New York Jets 2018 first-round pick would be difficult given how successful Carolina’s offensive line has been through the first two games at keeping Darnold upright.

“We’ve got to be able to get back there, get him flustered,” said Mercilus. “We’ve got to try to get him to make some mistakes and all that, but also, we’ve got to be able to contain him in the pocket because he has deceptive speed, too. That will present a challenge for the D-line, and we’ll do our best.”

The Texans turned the Panthers three-and-out, and then gave the ball back to their offense, which scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive.