Houston Texans: Key takeaways from disappointing Week 2 loss

2. Houston Texans Takeaways: Defensive pass rush had big moment vs. Ravens

J.J. Watt’s two sacks on Lamar Jackson proved to be his biggest moments since the playoff-altering sack against Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round, and the pass rush altogether stepped up in a big way.

Watt was accompanied on the stat sheet by fellow Houston Texans lineman Charles Omenihu and linebacker Zach Cunningham, with the group totaling four sacks, five QB hits, and five TFLs. Also worth mentioning is Watt’s pass deflection, Cunningham’s 15 combined tackles, and Justin Reid’s eight solo tackles. Despite this effort, Jackson finished with 258 yards and a touchdown.

J.J. Watt is now 36th in the NFL’s all-time sack list with 98 and is tied for most seasons in Texans’ history with at least one pass breakup (nine). His return from injury last season has been inspiring for the defense as a whole, though the unit has allowed 60 points through two weeks.

The most telling part of this unit is the sudden disappearance of Whitney Mercilus, who has been significantly outplayed by rotational pass rusher Jacob Martin. Mercilus is paid too heavily ($54 million extension running through 2023) to not make plays or any kind of significant impact on the field.