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Texans’ J.J. Watt wins Defensive Player of the Year

By Trisity Miller

Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Carter defensive end J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans (99) poses with the NFL cheerleaders after the 2015 Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Carter defensive end J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans (99) poses with the NFL cheerleaders after the 2015 Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Texans lineman J.J. Watt takes home the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year award.

I’m sure everybody say this coming: Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt has been awarded the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year award.

Another non-shocker? He did it unanimously.

There have been a ton of great defensive players in the NFL over the last five years, but non have stricken more fear into opponents than Watt. On a less-than-glamourous Texans team — especially in comparison to the one that made the playoffs in 2012 — Watt finished the season with 20.5 sacks, tying his career-high from 2012 (2nd most in league behind Justin Houston — 22.0), 78 total tackles (19 assists), four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, one interception (which was returned for a touchdown), 10 pass deflections, five total return touchdowns, and a blocked kick — that’s a LOT of impressive numbers.

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By winning this years DPOY award, Watt will have won his second in three years, joining a short list of players who have won the award twice in their careers — Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Mike Singletary, Ray Lewis, and Joe Green have two, while Lawrence Taylor has three.

If you need any other point of reference that makes the case for Watt as DPOY, his dominant play outweighed the fact that Houston finished 16th in overall defense, which would make Watt the second player in the history of the award to win it with a defense that ranks 15th or higher (Reggie White — Philadelphia Eagles, 1987).

Along with the Defensive Player of the Year nomination, Watt was also voted to the 2014 Pro Bowl (and took home the Pro Bowl Defensive Player of the Game nod) and voted unanimously to the 2014 NFL All-Pro Team.

If Watt can keep us his dominance, the Houston Texans and NFL will long have a face to promote. It’s insane how good he is, especially for the 2014 NFL season only being his fourth in the NFL. If 2014 first-round pick Jadaveon Clowney can remain healthy and in shape, things will only get easier for Watt — or vice-versa — and that’s something that should scare the daylights out of the rest of the league.

Now for the real question: Can Watt do what no defensive player has done since 1986 (Lawrence Taylor) has done — win the AP Most Valuable Player award. He has stiff competition there in Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, DeMarco Murray and others, but if he can pull this off, the next portion of Watt’s career will consist of padding stats to add to his growing Hall of Fame resume.

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