Chat » Everyone agrees that Deshaun Watson took far too many hits

HOUSTON (AP) — last week against the Dallas Cowboys.That doesn’t mean Houston’s quarterback is going to change the way he plays on Sunday when the Texans (2-3) host the Buffalo Bills (2-3).Many of those hits against Dallas came on runs when he simply refused to slide Andre Hal Color Rush Jersey , something that he won’t apologize for.“If you put (me in) that same situation in overtime and it’s fourth-and-1 and we need a touchdown and the ball is in my hands, you’re going to want me to get in that end zone,” Watson said. “It’s a fine line. You’ve got to pick your spots and pick your situations.”Coach Bill O’Brien doesn’t blame his young quarterback for trying to make plays, but is looking for ways to limit how many blows he takes. Many running quarterbacks have had their production — and careers — curtailed by getting hit too hard too often.“Two of the plays where he took a hit where he was trying to score touchdowns,” O’Brien said. “So, very competitive guy and does a great job of moving. Sometimes the ball can come out a little bit quicker, sometimes the play can be better, but we’re all working hard to improve every area of the offense.”The repeated hits from the Cowboys left Watson a bit banged-up this week, but he insisted that he’s fine and won’t be limited against Buffalo. He was asked if this was the sorest he’s ever been after a game.“I’ve been sore plenty of times,” he said. “It’s part of the game, able to take some shots and just regroup and keep moving forward.”Buffalo coach Sean McDermott said he spent some time with Watson before he was drafted last year and raved about him as a person and a player. He knows a key for his team Sunday will be finding a way to limit his dynamic plays.“He’s a headache … the way he plays, he makes plays with his arm, he makes plays with his feet,” McDermott said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”Some things to know about Buffalo’s trip to Houston on Sunday:RUNNING GAME FOCUSAs the Bills try to bring rookie quarterback Josh Allen along, McDermott knows that improving his team’s running game will help the process.“To me, they go hand in hand when you’re trying to be responsible with a young player J.J. Watt Color Rush Jersey , a young quarterback in particular, that some form of balance is important,” he said.The Bills have struggled on offense so far and their 221.2 yards a game rank 31st. They’re averaging 121.8 yards passing a game, the lowest output in the league. Despite those numbers, McDermott is careful not to put too much pressure on Allen to turn things around by himself.“I’ve been around young quarterbacks before, and to put too much on young quarterbacks’ shoulders… (and say): ‘Hey go out there and win the game.’ That’s a little bit unrealistic,” McDermott said. “So, we’ve got to make sure we put a good plan in place every week that gives us a chance to win and the quarterback a chance to develop, and also keep the quarterback upright as well.”SACK RACEHouston defensive end J.J. Watt looks to have put the last two injury-filled seasons behind him and is tied for first in the NFL with six sacks this year. Watt is tied with Cincinnati’s Geno Atkins and his young brother, Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt.“It’s pretty wild when you go and you look at the sack sheet and you see our names next to each other,” Watt said. “We used to beat up on each other in backyard and now we get to see our names at the top of the NFL sack charts. So, it’s incredible and I’m lucky.”COMING ALONGThe Texans have been impressed with the development of rookie WR Keke Coutee, who has played the last two games after sitting out the first three weeks with a hamstring injury. The fourth-round pick has 17 receptions for 160 yards and scored his first touchdown in Sunday’s overtime win against the Dallas Cowboys.“He has great instincts, great ability to make plays on the ball, strong hands and he’s just a guy with a high football IQ,” Watson said. “So Deshaun Watson Color Rush Jersey , whenever I see him one on one or in the zone coverage, get the ball in his area just like Hop (DeAndre Hopkins) and all of the other receivers and he’s going to make the play.” HOUSTON (AP) — Saturday's wild-card game between the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts is a matchup that seemed improbable early this season after Houston dropped its first three games and the Colts limped to a 1-5 start.Instead of letting their tough starts lead to disappointing years, these teams which both finished 4-12 last season turned things around to lead the AFC South and charge into the postseason.Houston's rebound began at the expense of the Colts (10-6) and it was thanks in part to a controversial call by Indianapolis coach Frank Reich in overtime. The game was tied 34-34 when, instead of punting on fourth-and-4 from his 43-yard line and likely settling for a tie, Reich called for a short pass from Andrew Luck to Chester Rogers. Luck's pass fell incomplete, Houston got a 24-yard completion on the next play, and Ka'imi Fairbairn made a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans (11-5) a 37-34 victory. "We knew that to be able to come out on the winning end of that game was a big thing for us, but that's a long time ago," Houston coach Bill O'Brien said. "The teams have evolved over time, so it's a new ballgame now."The win was the first of nine straight for Houston. The Texans didn't lose again until a visit from the Colts on Dec. 9, a 24-21 Indy victory. Houston then won two of its last three games, capped by a 20-3 victory over the Jaguars on Sunday to clinch the division — and become the sixth team since 1980 and first since 1998 to make the playoffs after a 0-3 start.The Colts' loss to Houston in Week 4 was the second of four straight that dropped them to 1-5. Indianapolis then won its next five and nine of its last 10 to make its first playoff appearance since a 2014 AFC championship game loss at New England. Yes, the "Deflategate" game.The Colts are the third team in NFL history to reach the postseason after losing five of the first six games.These teams have more in common than their difficult starts. They're both led by a player making a comeback after an injury.Luck returned after missing the 2017 season with a shoulder injury to throw for 4,593 yards and rank second in the NFL with 39 touchdown passes. His best games this season have come against Houston, piling up 863 yards passing with six touchdowns.Trying to slow him down on Saturday will be Houston's comeback star J.J. Watt, who played all 16 games after starting just eight games combined in the previous two years because of back surgeries and a broken leg. Watt led the AFC with 16 sacks Jadeveon Clowney Color Rush Jersey , had 25 quarterback hits, 18 tackles for losses and forced a career-high seven fumbles, which tied for most in the NFL.Watt said Luck has been getting rid of the ball quicker this season, which makes his job as a pass rusher much more difficult."You try and do different things, but at the end of the day, you try and get there, and if you can get your hands up, you get your hands up," he said. "You just try and get there. You can't really let it affect you, and you hope maybe he holds it for an extra second."Some things to know about Houston's game against Indianapolis:HILTON'S INSome of T.Y. Hilton's most memorable moments have come against the Texans — especially when he visits Houston.The Colts' top receiver has caught 41 passes for 933 yards with seven TDs in seven games at NRG Stadium, and in the last two trips to Houston Hilton has 14 receptions for 374 yards and two TDs. So even though he's been hobbled by a bad ankle, which he initially injured at Houston on Dec. 9, Hilton insists he'll be fine Sunday."That's probably why it's starting to feel better," Hilton joked earlier this week when asked about playing in Houston for the second time in a month.DESHAUN'S DEBUTHouston quarterback Deshaun Watson will make his playoff debut in his second year in the NFL. Don't expect the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft to be daunted by the challenge after he played plenty of huge games at Clemson, highlighted by leading his team to the national title game twice. The Tigers lost to Alabama when Watson was a sophomore before he helped Clemson beat Alabama 35-31 for the 2016 national championship."It's just another opportunity for myself and this whole team to be able to show what we've got and put in the work," Watson said. "I've played in a lot of big games before in college and stuff Johnathan Joseph Color Rush Jersey , but you can't really pit college playoffs with the NFL. This is the hardest business, top-notch. It's a whole new season, a whole new speed of game. So it's going to be new for me (and) it's going to be a lot of fun."TURNAROUND TIMEIndy didn't just rebound from a 1-5 start to make the playoffs. It rewrote the book.While the oft-criticized offensive line allowed a league-low 18 sacks after giving up a league-high 56 in 2017, the biggest change came on defense, where the Colts were ranked No. 11. They had the league's leading tackler, 26 takeaways, allowed only 16.4 points over the final eight games, and were one of three teams that didn't allow a 100-yard rusher all season.The Colts know it will take more of the same to advance."The last time we did a good job, that was great for us, but this is a new challenge this week," Reich said when asked about defending Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins. "I'm sure they are going to try to get him going."