Vollmer healthy, ready to rumble

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FOXBORO -- Sebastian Vollmer was on New England's injury report every week of the regular season. The starting Patriots tackle has missed just one game, Week 12's matchup against the Jets, despite suffering from back and knee injuries all year.
What better time to strike Vollmer's name from the list than right before a divisional playoff?
"I feel pretty good," he said Friday. "Whatever the injury report says, it says. But its pretty good, I guess."
He might have to be great on Sunday. Houston has one of the NFL's best defensive ends in J.J. Watt.
It's Vollmer opinion that, after taking the defensive end head-on, Watt lives up to the hype.
"Obviously just physically looking at him, hes a playmaker out there. Just stat-wise obviously hes bringing it. He can do a lot of different things sacks, swatting the ball, stopping the run and stuff like that. So hes a well-rounded package.
Though the Texans like to move Watt around on the line, they did so less against the Patriots in Week 14. It's likely Vollmer, more than any other offensive linemen, will have to deal with him if the same thing happens Sunday.
"Hes probably most on the right between me and Dan Connolly I guess. Hes a really good player. I think he has proven that with what, 20.5 sacks or whatever he had in the regular season. Its going to be a challenge and Im sure hes going to be excited to play in a playoff game. So are we."
The Patriots surrendered zero sacks to Watt back in December. Stifling such a dynamic defensive force a second time won't be easy, but Vollmer believes it's possible.
"Im sure there are things we can do better. Hes still an impact player and its hard to contain a guy like that. I think all five of us have to do a good job and we will."

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