HOUSTON (SPORTSRADIO 610) -- JJ Watt appeared on the stat sheet against the Jaguars on Sunday after being absent from it in the season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Watt only had two tackles and a single quarterback hit. It was a holding no-call that had the star defensive end the most riled up after the 13-12 win over Jacksonville.
Watt, noting the possibility he could get fined for criticizing an official, said one ref admitted to neglecting a holding call against the Jags with Watt on the business end.
"There were a couple holding calls out there, it's just every week. The ref literally admitted to me that the guy held me on one play and he didn't throw the flag. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with that, when after a play, I look over to the ref and he says 'Yes, I saw him hold you, but I didn't throw the flag.' ... I don't know what to do with that."
When asked about Watt's comments Monday, O'Brien said he agreed with him, but that "the officials are in a tough spot."
Despite the double teams and possible holds on Watt, the Texans did a much better job rushing the passer Sunday. They only got to Drew Brees three times last week, but more than doubled that with seven hits and four sacks on Gardner Minshew II.
Cunningham 'was all over the place'
Linebacker Zach Cunningham had a sack early in the game before logging a game-high 10 tackles, all of them solo.
O'Brien praised Cunningham's efforts Monday.
"He played a great football game. I mean he was all over the place," O'Brien said, adding that Cunningham deserved a game ball.
"He's an instinctive player. He tackled well. He covered well. He blitzed well. It's one of the best games he's played since he's been here."
Cunningham was a second-round draft pick by the Texans in 2017. He's the player they took after Deshaun Watson in the first round, and before D'Onta Foreman and Julien Davenport in the third and fourth rounds.
Watson is now the bona fide franchise quarterback, while Foreman and Davenport are injured on other teams.
Run defense stout
One thing Bill O'Brien seems to be impressed with is the Texans' run defense. Minshew and the Jaguars were able to score a touchdown in the last four minutes of the game, when the rookie found DJ Chark Jr. in the end zone
It was Houston's strength against the run that kept Leonard Fournette from crossing the goal line on the two-point conversion, which would have put the Jaguars ahead with 30 seconds left to play.
Fournette was held to 47 yards on 15 carries. The most Jacksonville gained on the ground was through Minshew scrambling. He rushed for 56 yards on six carries, including a 21-yard scramble.
"The ability to stop the run yesterday was huge," O'Brien said. "I think that was, when you watch the tape, the way we played the run, it was unbelievable."
Where are we with the #Texans two games in at 1-1? What's your overall confidence level?--️ https://t.co/cHeRGshmHvPhoto: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/qBJe5a9VAg
— SportsRadio 610 (@SportsRadio610) September 16, 2019
