J.J Watt is furious. Not only did the Houston Texans fall to 0-2 on the season after getting embarrassed by the visiting Baltimore Ravens to the tune of 33-16 in Week 2, but defensive lineman Ross Blacklock helped torpedo the defensive effort. The rookie second-round pick was ejected from the contest for shoving after a whistle, also earning himself an unnecessary roughness penalty before being forced to hit the showers. Asked about it after the game, Watt pulled no punches in making his feelings known.
"It's stupid," the three-time Defensive Player of the Year said, via The Houston Chronicle. "It's selfish. It was a stupid play. It was selfish."
Watt wasn't done there though, noting he's said the same to Blacklock directly.
"I've spoken to Ross before," Watt continued. "It pisses me off. It's a very selfish move late in the game, and it's dumb. It's very dumb to hurt your team in that type of setting for no reason."
Blacklock's ejection made it that much more challenging to stop a red-hot Lamar Jackson and Co., who entered NRG Stadium as favorites to down the unsettled Texans. The reigning league MVP had his way with the Houston defense, not needing gawdy numbers to push them into the ropes early and ultimately beat them into submission. The 0-2 start is far from what Watt envisioned heading into the season and, now healthy, one of the best defensive players in NFL history knows how valuable it is to remain available for his team -- having been sidelined so often in recent years with injury.
So when he drops the hammer on a rookie who took that for granted on Sunday, no one should bat an eye. And as for Blacklock's wallet, well, the league office might make it a bit lighter this week by way of a fine, adding salt to a self-inflicted wound.
