Belichick offers up 100-Watt praise for Texans

Share

FOXBORO - Words don't go careening around Bill Belichick's brain and out his mouth haphazardly.

What he says, to whom he says it and when it's said are all important factors to consider when perusing a Belichick press conference transcript.

During Wednesday's conference call with the Houston media, Belichick verbally rolled J.J. Watt over like a yellow lab and scratched his tummy until Watt's legs kicked.

Most disruptive player in the league. Defensive Player of the Year material. Comparing the combination of Watt and Antonio Smith to Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks. Check, check annnnnd check.

Belichick talks up every team the Patriots face. He expresses his weekly talking points to his team and then delivers them to we in the media, who then reintroduce them into the discourse.

But when Belichick is talking to out-of-town media, he knows that words of praise will be shared as well, hopefully leading to a sense of overconfidence.

Speaking about Watt, who's having a dominant season at defensive end for the Patriots next opponent, the Houston Texans, Belichick spared no superlative.

"Hesthe most disruptive player in the league certainly that weve seen," said Belichick. "Hes reallypretty good at everything. Hes got great quickness and length, instincts, goodplaying strength, got a high motor. That looks like the defensive player of theyear to me. Hes been so productive and so disruptive. Its not just the passrush. Its batted balls. Its tackles for loss and the blocking that he drawshelps everybody else out. Hes been a terrific player for them in a lot ofdifferent ways. He contributes so many things to their team. This guy is reallya good player.

All of it is, of course, true. Watt is having a career season. But the bouquets laid at Watt's feet by Belichick got deeper and deeper on Wednesday.

"It was easy to see the physical talent, but he didnt have a lotof college experience," said Belichick. "Hes developed kind of different, but similar to like aJason Pierre-Paul situation, didnt have a lot of college production, but hadenough. You could see enough, just wonder how high the bar can go and howquickly it will get there. As it did with JPP, its risen very fast for J.J."

Contact Us