Watt most important Texans player this season

Sports columnists are sometimes correct.

They might not often remind you of that, because you might recall the equal number of times, if not more, they are incorrect.

But on the day before the Texans report to training camp for a day of meetings before returning to practice Saturday, it seemed like a good time to recall a column from a year ago at this time.

The theme was that J.J. Watt was the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the Texans' most valuable player but not the most important player in determining whether, as many believed at the time, they were ready for a Super Bowl season.

Matt Schaub was more important. His inability to play to his level of 2012, when he went to the Pro Bowl, or, for that matter, to play to the level of virtually any other NFL starting quarterback, more than any factor doomed the Texans.

Arian Foster was more important. Foster has been most effective as a double threat, able to stretch defenses from one sideline to the other as a receiver. The Texans hoped to use him in that role more often last season before he injured his back in the seventh game against Kansas City, particularly untimely because that was Case Keenum's first game as a starter. He needed all the help he could get.

Brian Cushing was more important. He was the defensive leader, the man in the middle the Texans couldn't replace after his season-ending injury during the fifth game in 2012. Even Watt said Cushing was his role model and that was it was crucial for him to return for the Texans to maintain their defensive dominance. Cushing suffered another season-ending injury against the Chiefs, in the same game Foster was injured.

Who knows how the season might have been different if not for the unraveling of Schaub or the injuries to Foster and Cushing? But you can suspect the Texans wouldn't have finished with a 2-14 record.

Not everyone agreed at the time that any Texan was more valuable than Watt.

Seth Payne, a 610 AM host and a former Jaguars and Texans defensive tackle, went with Watt.

"There is an inherent value to every position, and quarterback is more valuable than everybody else," he said. "But J.J., because of how he affects the game, is an exception."

Didn't buy it then for last season.

Do buy it now for this season.

Due some breaks

The Texans aren't going to finish 2-14 this season. They have a relatively weak schedule, should be energized by the fresh start accompanying a new coaching staff and will, according to the law of averages, get the breaks they didn't get last season that will enable them to win some close games. They lost eight games last season by seven or fewer points, five by three or fewer. (For the sake of balance, their two victories were by three points and by six points in overtime.)

Realistically, they are somewhere between a 7-9 and a 9-7 team.

If someone were to step up with a superior performance, one that could almost single-handedly change the outcome of games, the Texans could do even better, perhaps even have a slim chance of contending for a wild-card berth.

Watt is the only player on the team capable of having that kind of season.

Let's say he has that 20-20-20 season.

We'll have to say it, because he won't say it. Before last season, he publicly stated his goal of finishing with at least 20 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and 20 pass deflections.

He, like every other Texan player, was humbled. Although Watt had a Pro Bowl season, his numbers dropped from 211/2 sacks to 101/2, 23 tackles for loss to 15, and 16 pass deflections to seven.

He since has bought into the Bill O'Brien way, saying his play will talk for him. Before last season, Watt said: "I have no interest in being scared. I have no interest in mediocrity. I have no interest in average. I have no interest in being an OK player. I want to be great. I want to be the best, so that's why I set the bar extremely high."

Team leader

Before this season, he's talking about learning the new defense, practicing harder, and becoming a better teammate. That includes serving as a "play every down like it's your last'' example for Jadeveon Clowney and other young players and assuming the role Andre Johnson forfeited as team leader.

That's not to say 20-20-20 wouldn't be good for the team, especially if it means the front seven can become the force necessary to protect a suspect secondary. He just can't talk about it. He's no longer "I.I. Watt."