Jadeveon Clowney Just Changed Outlook of Texans Defense

The preseason is not about team performance but individual performance. However, it would seem Jadeveon Clowney just offered massive implications for his team.

NFL fans have wait three years to see if the former #1 overall pick, whom many considered the most gifted defensive player to come out of college in a decade, to finally flip the switch and start playing like the dominant force he should be. Yet a series of nagging injuries have continued to hamper his progress. Clowney had no sacks as a rookie and just 4.5 in his second season. What sets 2016 apart from others though is that he’s finally making it through training camp and preseason in good health.

It’s showing. After not appearing in the opener against the 49ers, he made his debut in the biggest of ways by single-handedly making a preseason game painful for a Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees. The outside linebacker showcased a burst, power and violence as a pass rusher Texans fans have been itching for since he first arrived.

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He may have only registered one sack on the night but it felt like Jadeveon Clowney had his way with the Saints offensive line. Keeping in mind this is a fairly solid group he went up against. That is just how physically gifted he is. Though the performance itself was fun to watch, it was the far-reaching implications it might have that really catches the attention of people.

Houston already has a pretty good defense. Part of the reason they drafted Clowney was the chance to pair him with superstar J.J. Watt. Together they might forge one of the nastiest pass rushes the league has seen in a long time. Ironically this time it’s Watt who is injured. He’s dealing with a back injury that may keep him out the first couple weeks of the season. Still, if Clowney is in this form when he gets back?

The entire landscape of the AFC may have just shifted. This team is already a playoff contender. Having those two playing like the freakish talents they are could make them a Super Bowl contender.