Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien and defensive end J.J. Watt talk with reporters. The Texans open the 2014 NFL season on Sunday against the Washington Redskins.
Coach Bill O’Brien
On preparing for a game when his starters haven’t played much:
“It’s tough. It’s a tough challenge. I would say that that’s similar for probably all of the teams in the league right now. The challenge of the first game, especially with a new staff – a really strong coaching staff with Coach [Jay] Gruden there now and all of his assistants – trying to figure out what to look at to get ready for it, preseason, Cincinnati… Obviously Jim Haslett and his history as a coordinator in this league, he’s one of the best that there’s been in this league as a coordinator. It’s a tough challenge. They’re a good football team, and we’re looking forward to the game on Sunday, and it’s going to be a challenging one.”
On how to juggle which film to study when facing a new coach:
“You have to look at last year’s tape because you have to look at the personnel, and then you have to look at obviously some Cincinnati. You have to look at the preseason – Washington this year – anywhere that Jay Gruden has been. You have to try to get a bead on it. So it’s a lot of work. It’s fun work, it’s challenging work, but that’s the challenge of a first game.”
On his nerves for his first game as a head coach:
“I’m just really excited. We have a bunch of great guys here. We’ve worked really hard. We’ve had a good training camp. We’ve had a good week of practice. It’s just more excitement. I’m excited to see how these guys play and excited to coach the game on Sunday.”
On his memories of running back Silas Redd from Penn State:
“I don’t have too many memories because he wasn’t there very long, so I don’t have that many memories of him.”
On if he was disappointed Redd decided to leave so quickly:
“No.”
On the versatility of his front seven with defensive end J.J. Watt and linebacker Jadeveon Clowney:
“Certainly with those two guys, they can play different spots – no doubt about it. They can play all different spots on the front, and then we have other guys too. Obviously with Brian Cushing and Brooks Reed and other guys – Tim Jamison has had a good training camp – we have the ability to move guys around. And when you’re going against an offense as challenging as Washington with RGIII [Robert Griffin III], DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garçon, [Alfred] Morris – all of the players that they have – you have to make sure that your assignment is sound and you’re doing things that your players are good at doing.”
On if linebacker Brian Cushing is mentally and physically back:
“Yes.”
On quarterback Robert Griffin III:
“I expect to see an excellent football player, a guy that has improved in the passing game, a guy that can run, a guy that’s an instinctive player, a good decision-maker, a very good football player.”
Houston Texans Defensive End J.J. Watt
On his new contract extension:
“Obviously, it means I get to stay in Houston for a while, and it’s very exciting. It means that I get to focus on football now, and I think that’s the biggest thing for me. Obviously, I’m very fortunate now to be financially secure and have a chance to just be able to focus on the game and focus on the task at hand. This week obviously is Washington, so I’m looking forward to focusing on that. But it’s really exciting, and I’m very humbled and also very appreciative.”
On quarterback Robert Griffin III:
“He’s a good player. He’s an athletic player, obviously an exciting player. People like to watch him because he has a chance to make plays. As a defender, you have to go out there and you have to do everything you can to make sure that you minimize those opportunities. But he’s obviously a very good football player.”
On his strategy to contain Griffin III:
“There are many different things. Obviously, as a defensive lineman, you need to make sure that you keep pass rush lane integrity, and you need to make sure that you do your job and you execute your assignments properly.”
On linebacker Jadeveon Clowney:
“Our defense has a lot of guys on it who can make plays, a lot of guys who can do many different things. It’s always exciting when you never know where the next play is going to come from. I think that’s what makes a defense fun to play in. That’s why I’m excited to get out there and finally get out there on the game field with our full defense and just have some fun.”
On lining up in different spots:
“It gives an opportunity for me to see different guys, to play against everybody. It gives a defense the chance to be multiple and to do different things. That’s one thing I like about Coach [Romeo] Crennel is the way he adapts to different things and the way we game plan and stuff like that. So, it’s going to be fun.”
On Clowney’s progress leading into the regular season:
“I think now that the regular season is here, it’s go time, so it’s going to be really exciting to see how everybody handles the regular season and how we get going here in Week 1. Obviously it’s the first week of the season so everybody is looking to get off on the right foot.”
On putting last year behind him:
“I’m just extremely excited that Week 1 of the regular season is here and we get the opportunity to go out thereon Sunday and play a real football game, a game that counts. It’s time to start a new season. We’re really excited about that opportunity.”
On if his new contract is a relief:
“It’s extremely humbling, and I’m extremely appreciative for it. I mean, it goes to show if you work extremely hard and you have big dreams, you can really do anything. But, like I said a little bit earlier, it really doesn’t change me as a person. It doesn’t change me as a player if at all. If anything, it makes me want to work even harder to go out there and prove that I deserve it and to prove it to my teammates and be the best teammate I can be and be the best leader I can be for these guys, and go out there every single day and set an example.”
On if he and Griffin III have spoken in the past:
“I think we have a time or two, through different events here and there. We really haven’t had [any] long conversations though. Hopefully we’ll cross paths on Sunday, you know?”
Share
Contributors
