Arizona Cardinals’ J.J. Watt says he won’t be facing same Texans ‘I remember’ on Sunday

TEMPE, Ariz. — When Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt appears across the line of scrimmage this Sunday and sees the Houston Texans’ uniforms and helmets, he’ll be reminded of the recollections designed in the course of 10 seasons with his former team, the playoff online games received and AFC South division banners hanging inside NRG Stadium.

But that’s where the emotion of going through the only crew he played for right up until this season will end.

“There’s naturally something additional to it,” Watt claimed Thursday. “I really don’t believe that it truly is what people may possibly imagine it is due to the fact, I suggest, you look at the roster and you look at the guys that are there, I suggest it truly is been so massively turned in excess of that there is only a handful of fellas that are even there from very last yr that I played with.

“So, it can be not like, I am like, ‘Oh, I want to go and conquer my outdated team’ or ‘Oh, I are unable to wait around to confront this dude,’ due to the fact it can be not the exact team. It really is not the very same firm that I keep in mind and that I was a portion of.”

2 Linked

That is a huge portion of why Watt questioned for his launch from Houston back in February, he informed the Houston media in the course of a conference call Thursday early morning. Watt said he expected Houston’s roster to be turned about like it has as properly as the absence of success that is resulted from it.

He hardly recognizes the roster anymore, he reported.

“You can find so many guys I really don’t know,” Watt reported.

Following 10 seasons, four division championships, supporting the franchise earn its initial playoff recreation all while winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards and becoming named the 2017 NFL Walter Payton Man of the 12 months, it pains Watt to see the Texans in this present-day state of disrepair.

“Which is why it hurts me to see where by it is now, due to the fact I consider those people admirers ought to have to be residing people significant instances and to be encountering those people great times and it hurts to know that they are not, and to know that they are battling,” Watt explained. “So, I hope that they get again there at some place and I hope that they get to do that mainly because I know firsthand it really is an unbelievable put to participate in when you might be rolling.”

Watt explained after the game begins Sunday, it’s going to be just like any other video game as the Cardinals look to boost on their 6- document with a brief 7 days coming up ahead of hosting the Inexperienced Bay Packers on “Thursday Night time Football.”

Watt has not parted methods with all his “1000’s of parts” of Texans gear, and it seems like he most likely won’t. Nonetheless, he estimated, with a smile, that about fifty percent of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, his hometown, might be dressed in Texans clothes. That is commencing to alter to Cardinals purple, he included.

“I signify you can find 10 yrs of my lifestyle and there is 10 yrs of interactions,” Watt reported, “so it truly is not like I just chucked all my Houston things.”

And, yes, Watt mentioned he has “a pair of major close friends” who suit into his clothes.

Viewing the Texans’ blue, white and purple uniform throughout from him Sunday at Point out Farm Stadium will be various, Watt reported — just like researching film all 7 days has been.

“When I transform on the film this 7 days and I observe the game titles and you’re on the lookout at NRG Stadium, for 10 several years, I have looked at that movie and I’ve been viewing the staff in blue and white,” Watt said. “And now I am looking at it from the other viewpoint and I am finding out individuals guys, so it is, it truly is certainly distinctive. “But I never consider I’m going to forget about which male I am intended to tackle, if that is what you are inquiring.”

ESPN Texans reporter Sarah Barshop contributed to this report.