Jadeveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus make PFF’s top 15 edge rushers
Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus of the Houston Texans have both been named to Pro Football Focus’ to 15 edge rushers of 2016.
There’s no doubt that pass rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus are two of the best in the NFL and they have been recognized by Pro Football Focus by being ranked eighth and ninth on their top 15 list of edge rushers from this past season.
Here’s what PFF wrote:
"8. Whitney Mercilus, Houston TexansWhitney Mercilus is a lot like Ingram in terms of slowly developing into the first-round edge rusher the team thought he could be, but just taking a little more time to do so than expected. Mercilus posted his second consecutive double-digit sack season, and ended 2016 with 76 total QB pressures. Unlike some others on the list, he also got to experience a pair of playoff games, and averaged six total QB pressures across those two games, notching three sacks. Mercilus has become a dominant player in his own right after spending his time in the Shadow of J.J. Watt in Houston.9. Jadeveon Clowney, Houston TexansJadeveon Clowney was supposed to be an instant dominant force because of his physical gifts, but his pro career started slowly due to injuries as much as anything else. Over the past two seasons, though, he has had a clearer run of things, and ended this season in the best run of form of his NFL career. Clowney didn’t have as much total pressure as other players on this list, but by the end of the season he was taking over games, and was the best player on the field in Houston’s first playoff game against the Raiders, where his interception was one of several key plays that swung the game. Clowney’s 2017 could be even better than his 2016 season, which was still good enough to rank in the top 10."
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Clowney finished the season with 52 tackles and only six sacks, but was quite a disruption during their playoff loss to the Patriots.
Mercilus’ stats were up there with Clowney as he had 53 tackles and 7.5 sacks.
You have to figure with all of the pass rushing weapons the Texans have, one person isn’t going to be able to get the majority of the sacks.