Houston Texans coaches and players comment about their upcoming game against the New England Patriots.
On facing the Patriots...
"They have a great team. We love a challenge like that. We love going out there and competing. As a competitor, you want to play against the best. We always look forward to it. (I) have an immense amount of respect for what they've been able to accomplish."
- DE J.J. Watt
"It's a great opportunity for not just me, but the whole team and this organization. For us to go up there and try to get a win, it's going to be tough but it's going to be a great challenge for us and we're up for it."
- QB DeShaun Watson
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"It's a big challenge. Obviously, the Patriots played really well on Sunday. It's a road environment. We've got to be able to go up there and handle the road environment. Obviously, they don't lose too often at home. (They've) got a great team."
- Head Coach Bill O'Brien
On Tom Brady...
"What Tom's been able to accomplish in his time in this league. I mean, five Super Bowls, that's a pretty sweet looking hand."
- DE J.J. Watt
"I've been watching Brady since I was a little kid and being able to be in the vicinity of him and see him play live is going to be awesome."
- QB DeShaun Watson
"Arguably the best to ever play the position. He's done some great things over his career, so any time we can see him, whether it's preseason (or) practicing against them, it's definitely going to bring out the best in us as a team. We'll have to have a great week and we have to be ready to go."
- CB Kareem Jackson
"He's a great quarterback. He's very smart about the game, understands what schemes that other teams are trying to do against him. He's done a great job of that. Obviously he's been playing for so long and that's why they call him the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time), no doubt."
- OLB Whitney Mercilus
"You want to go out there and compete. He's the best. You want to go out there and compete against the best of the best and go out there and put on a show. We're going to go out there and try to get after him."
- NT DJ Reader
"It's always difficult. Any time he has weapons on the offensive side, multiple formations he's going to show you, obviously he's as good as they come in this league and one of the all-time greats, if not the greatest. Always gives you a difficult job from play recognition to play count to snapping the ball fast, especially if you're not lined up. So, he throws everything at you, we have to do a good job of studying all week."
- CB Johnathan Joseph
On the Patriots offense...
"They're a very dangerous team on offense. They play fast. They play with great efficiency. They have a different game plan every week, different personnel that they're using and so, it's difficult. You don't really know what to expect. The combination of Tom and Josh (McDaniels), the brains behind that offense, it's hard. It's hard to deal with that and we're just going to have to see what it is when the game starts and do the best we can to keep up with what they're trying to do and go from there."
- Head Coach Bill O'Brien
On Patriots cornerbacks Malcolm Butler and Stephon Gilmore...
"both those guys are two of the better corners that we'll go against this year. They both have different skillsets. Stephon has got some length. You have to run really good routes on him. He's a big guy. You have to try to get some separation from him because if you don't, he's going to punch the ball out with his length. Malcolm's a very strong player, he plays the ball really well. Very difficult guy to get off of coverage. He's a guy that brings a lot of playing strength to that position. Last week they played (Eric) Rowe a little bit more than Butler so we'll have to see what that ends up being. I know Rowe was injured but we'll have to see what that ends up being on Sunday, but we expect it to be Butler and Gilmore."
- Head Coach Bill O'Brien
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"Both of those guys are very physical, very talented, very smart. They have experienced a lot of football. Butler's real physical, quick, plays the ball very well (and) he's very active. Same with Gilmore. He's a taller built guy but at the same time is very quick, smart, speed, redirects well and he plays the ball well. You really got to be on your A-game when you play against those guys."
- QB DeShaun Watson
On the Patriots defense...
"Tough, physical, disciplined, well-coached team. They play all four quarters and make you make mistakes. It's a tough opponent."
- QB DeShaun Watson
