Houston You Have a Problem: Williams Done for Year
Written by Bob Whalon, Monday October 10 2011
Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak said on Monday that two-time Pro Bowler Mario Williams will undergo season-ending surgery after tearing a pectoral muscle in Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Williams was hurt on a first quarter play where he sacked Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell. He walked off the field and went into the locker room on his own. Willaims didn't return to the field until the second half, but he simply stood on the sidelines in a T-shirt and shorts.
"I feel so bad for Mario, because he's such a heck of a player," Kubiak said. "He had really taken to the position he's playing. He was improving every day in practice, improving in every game. I'd never seen him so upbeat about what was going on."
Kubiak was referring to Williams' switch to outside linebacker in new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme. Until this season, Williams was one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, making the Pro Bowl after the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Williams is Houston's all-time sack leader (53) after being the first overall pick of the 2006 draft. He even set the team's single-season sack record with 14 in 2007. The Texans actually were widely criticized by the "experts", who said they made a mistake by taking Williams instead of USC running back and Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. It seems that the Texans got the last laugh on that one.
The loss of Williams is a major blow to a team already hurting in other areas. Quarterback Matt Schaub has a sore throwing shoulder, fullback James Casey has a strained pectoral muscle and right guard Mike Brisiel injured his ankle and knee on Sunday. The team was already without All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson, who injured his right hamstring and underwent a minor procedure last week. Kubiak said that Johnson is progressing, but did not know if he would be ready to play on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Texans' defense will suffer without its best player. Rookie Brooks Reed, a second-round draft pick, will take over for Williams in the starting lineup, but nobody expects him to replace his production. "Obviously, it's tough on the team. We're missing a great player," Kubiak said.
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