HOUSTON (AP) - Should J.J. Watt be the NFL's Most Valuable Player?
Many who are paid to find ways to slow down the overpowering defensive end for the Houston Texans say yes.
"I'd vote for him," Cincinnati offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said. "I've never had a game in my coaching career when I basically had to plan to run one way all day, and he forced me to do that. Even running away from him, he made plays."
No defensive player has won the MVP since Lawrence Taylor in 1986, joining Alan Page in 1971 as the only defenders to pick up the honor. Only quarterbacks and running backs have won since Taylor had 201/2 sacks for the Giants in 1986 to win it.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano has had to plan for Watt twice this season, and perhaps Watt's best game this year came against Indianapolis in Week 6. Watt had two sacks, swatted down three passes and returned a fumble by Andrew Luck 45 yards for a touchdown.
"He's a nightmare," Pagano said. "It's like a scary movie ... he's near unblockable. And his motor never stops. He's got great instincts, a great skill set, what can you say? He'd get my vote for MVP right now."
Watt leads the NFL with 25 tackles for losses and 47 quarterbacks hits. His 171/2 sacks are second most in the NFL and he needs 21/2 to become the first player in NFL history with at least 20 sacks in two seasons. He leads the NFL with five fumble recoveries and is the first player since Bill Golding in 1948 to have three offensive touchdowns and two touchdowns on takeaways in a season.
Scott Linehan, the passing game coordinator and play caller for the Cowboys, said you can't stop Watt, but the focus is to keep him from "wrecking the game." He doesn't see why Watt shouldn't win MVP.
"It's hard to argue against it," Linehan said. "I don't vote for that stuff so my vote doesn't count. But the things he's done are so rare. I think rare things make people MVP candidates."
The 25-year-old, in his fourth NFL season, has sparked a Houston defense that leads the NFL with a franchise-record 34 takeaways this season.
"Some can be attributed to his pressure or sometimes interceptions come from tips and overthrows, and he's got his hand on the ball quite a few times," Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley said. "He's just a guy that I think really elevates everybody around him."
Another highlight for Watt came in a win against Buffalo when he got both of his oversized hands on a pass thrown by E.J. Manuel, batted it down and intercepted it before running 80 yards for a touchdown.
And his contributions aren't just limited to defense. The 6-foot-5, 289-pound Watt, who started his college career as a tight end, has caught three touchdown passes for the Texans, who host Jacksonville on Sunday and are still in the playoff hunt. Watt practices one-handed catches during the week and in pregame, but puts both hands on the ball when he's grabbing TD passes.
"He looks like (Rob) Gronkowski out there right now running," Pagano said, comparing him to New England's Pro Bowl tight end. "The catch he made from the fullback spot in the flat was phenomenal."
Some in the NFL don't like that defensive players are rarely in the conversation for MVP. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Luck and Dallas running back DeMarco Murray are top contenders to win this year. None plays defense.
Watt also plays on special teams, using his huge mitts to get in the face of kickers and punters, and he blocked an extra point attempt in a win against Washington in September.
With everything he does Jackson believes Watt is the epitome of an MVP.