J.J. Watt Says Finger Injury Suffered vs. Jaguars Is 'Nothing Bad'

Houston Texans superstar defensive lineman J.J. Watt doesn't believe the injury he suffered in Week 1 is anything serious.

He explained the situation after the game, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:

Watt finished with just one tackle in the 29-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday.

Watt has developed into one of the NFL's most dominant players since the Texans selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He's won the Associated Press' NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award three times and earned four Pro Bowl selections.

Injuries are pretty much the only thing that's slowed him down. He compiled an extensive injury list despite playing all 16 games in each of his first five seasons. The iron man streak ended last year when he was limited to three appearances before going on injured reserve with a back injury.

It's going to take a collective effort to fill the void if he's sidelined again. Christian Covington, Joel Heath, Carlos Watkins and Brandon Dunn could all see an uptick in playing time within the front seven as the Texans use a committee approach.

Ultimately, even if all of those players make the desired impact, the cumulative result won't be the same as a healthy Watt. The Texans just have to hope the latest ailment doesn't linger leading to another long-term absence like last year.