"It was worth all the shi**y tough days" said Watt after the game
Watt's return helps spark Texans in comeback, OT win
Jan 4, 2020, 7:14 pm
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Texans Defensive End J.J. Watt
He's back! J.J. Watt made his return to the field in their playoff game against the Bills. This is how he fared gainst Buffalo.
Getting adjusted during the return
J.J. Watt needs to dust the rust off, got tossed by Cody Ford on the play. pic.twitter.com/le5rf64lOK
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 4, 2020
Watt was used as a situational defensive lineman throughout the game. The team would sub him in on clear passing downs, though he was in during some Bills rushing plays as well. As you can see from the play above, Watt had a welcome back moment or two from the Bills offensive line.
The first half was fairly quiet for Watt. He drew an occasional double team but he didn't show up with an actual stat on the stat sheet.
Momentum changer
JJ WATT IS SO BACK 🔥 @JJWatt pic.twitter.com/MvLvvBcbz7
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 4, 2020
The Texans had just fumbled. The offense looked dead. The Bills had a chance to make it a near insurmountable lead. Watt flashed on third down for his first recorded statistic of the day to force the Bills to take a field goal.
It was a vintage Watt sack. He was too fast for the lineman and rumbled past him to crush Allen. The Bills signal caller would be antsy in the pocket for a couple of series after this.
Bill O'Brien said after the game Watt's sack got the crowd back into the game. He also said Houston fans are great because they are "going to let you know when you're not playing well, and they're going to let you know when you are playing well."
Little bro is pumped
TJ Watt is HYPE for big bro 🙌🙌 @_TJWatt @JJWatt pic.twitter.com/kXAeISMExy
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 4, 2020
J.J. Watt's brother T.J. Watt was in attendance. The younger Watt is a defensive player of the year candidate.
Got in a groove
Forced incompletion by Watt. pic.twitter.com/t43q1MMJly
— Rivers McCown (@riversmccown) January 5, 2020
Watt would get into a groove later in the game forcing Allen to toss the ball away. He drew closer to his regular level of attention from the Bills offense as the second half went on.
Watt did it for his teammates
J.J. Watt: "There were a lot of people who were questioning it or calling me crazy or telling me that I shouldn't be doing what I'm doing. But nobody knows what those feelings feel like ... so, quite frankly, I don't really care what anybody else says. I did it for those moments. pic.twitter.com/J4TzMReCTC
— Rivers McCown (@riversmccown) January 5, 2020
Watt made it clear after the game he came back to play with his teammates and he missed that feeling.
"We threw the plan out the window there in the fourth quarter and overtime," Watt said. He thanked the training and rehab staff for having him ready. He said he dove for a tackle and knew that moment he would know if his torn pectoral was going to remain healthy in the game.
Watt joked after the game he and the doctor hugged and neither knows how he held up for the game.
"The plan"
JJ Watt on what the plan was for him entering the game and how it went out the window in crunch time. #Texans @espn975 pic.twitter.com/TaF0djMb1s
— Jake Asman (@JakeAsman) January 5, 2020
Watt said the plan was for him to be situational for pass rushing but they plan was done when the fourth quarter got there. He said he didn't rehab to be on the sidelines in crunch time. Watt did say sometimes it was tough to stay on the sidelines through the first three quarters but he stuck to the plan.
Baltimore rookie right-hander Brandon Young lost his bid for the first perfect game in Orioles history with four outs remaining Friday night in a 7-0 win over the Houston Astros.
Young retired the first 23 batters he faced, only to have his shot at history end on slow grounder to the third base side by Houston second baseman Ramon Urìas.
With two outs in the eighth inning, Urìas, facing the Orioles for the first time since being traded last month, hit a 56 mph grounder between the mound and third base line. Young fielded the ball, but his off-balanced throw sailed wide of first base. Urías was awarded an infield single.
Young struck out the next batter to end the eighth. His eight innings pitched were a career high, and he matched his career best with six strikeouts
A native of Lumberton, Texas, less than 100 miles northeast of Houston, Young entered the game 0-6 with a 6.70 ERA through the first 10 starts of his big league career.
Yaramil Hiraldo retired the side in order in the ninth to preserve the Orioles first one-hitter since May 24, 2024.
Astros starter Framber Valdez (11-6) kept the Orioles in check until the fourth when Colby Mayo hit a two-out, solo home run.
Baltimore added to the lead in the fifth after loading the bases. With one-out, Gunnar Henderson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and a second run scored on the play when Jésus Sánchez’s throw got past catcher Yainer Diaz.
After Henderson brought home a run in seventh, Dylan Carlson capped a three-run eighth inning with a two-run homer to give the Orioles a 7-0 lead.
Valdez allowed four runs, three earned, on nine hits over 6 2/3 innings as the Astros’ lead over Seattle in the AL West slipped to a half-game.
Key moment
Urias’ infield single with two outs in the eighth inning to break up Young’s bid for a perfect game.
Key stat
John Means threw the Orioles last no-hitter on May 5, 2021.
Up next
Houston RHP Jason Alexander (3-1, 5.02 ERA) opposes LHP Cade Povich (2-6, 4.95) Saturday.