The newest team in the NFL has certainly had its fair share of talented pass rushers. From new Ring of Honor inductee J.J. Watt to Whitney Mercilus and Mario Williams, the Houston Texans pass rush has long featured intimidating presences.
When considering intimidating pass rushers, their ability to sack the quarterback is often at the forefront of the conversation. Insert 2011 breakout star Connor Barwin.
Converting from a defensive end to an outside linebacker, Barwin made a seamless transition and cemented his place in the team’s record books. According to ESPN, four of his 11.5 total sacks came in a victory against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars.
Though the storylines mainly centered around then-starting quarterback Matt Lienart and the broken collarbone sustained during the second quarter of the contest, the defense's heroics ultimately led this Houston Texans squad to victory. The fifth consecutive win pushed the team to an 8-3 record per an official ESPN game recap.
For the game, the Houston Texans finished with seven total sacks, with four of them coming from the 2009 second-round pick. It was a statement performance from the then 25-year-old, adding 10 total tackles and a stuff to what was already a loaded stat line.
Barwin would go on to play one more season in the blue and white before making his way to the Philadelphia Eagles, the team he spent four seasons of his playing career with. Though Barwin’s name is oftentimes most recognized in Eagles fan circles, it is his contributions to the Houston Texans that put him on the map as a force to be reckoned with.
With his name etched in the history books, Barwin’s contributions are immortalized into the legacy of the Houston Texans franchise. Records are made to be broken but for now, it is Barwin who sits alone on the mountaintop for most sacks in a single game.