Mario Williams Injury: Are Houston Texans Sunk Without Star 3-4 LB?

The Houston Texans worst fears were confirmed on Monday morning as the Houston Chronicle reported that linebacker Mario Williams has a torn pectoral muscle that will require season-ending surgery.

This tweet came from the Chronicle's John McClain:

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"Mario Williams is out for season with torn pectoral muscle and will have surgery this week."

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Williams was hurt in the Texans 25-20 loss to the Raiders on Sunday, which dropped the team to 3-2. Houston is tied with the Titans at that mark in the AFC South. 

But without their star linebacker, who had five sacks and a forced fumble so far in 2011, is the Texans' seemingly bright season doomed?

While losing Williams certainly hurts a defense that has made significant improvements from last season, it's not a death send quite yet.

The Texans came into the 2011 season prepared for a transition under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and they drafted Arizona's Brooks Reed to add a pass rushing element from the standup linebacker position.

Reed had been mostly a non-factor through four games playing behind Connor Barwin and Williams at outside linebacker, but he filled in on Sunday and registered four tackles and two quarterback hits. Reed isn't going to ever fully replace Williams in the defense, but he does have pass rushing skills and is still learning how to play the game standing up. You'd have to think that, as he progresses and learns within the Texans defense, Reed is going to make his fair share of plays. The Texans are counting on it now that Williams is done.

Barwin, who has started five games opposite Williams, has shown his own flashes as a pass rusher this season, but he'll need to step up the pressure considerably. It's a tall task, but if both Barwin and Reed can elevate their level of play moving forward, the Texans can make due without their best defensive player.

That is especially true when you consider that the Texans play in a division that lacks a dominant team. The Indianapolis Colts are in free fall without Peyton Manning, the Jaguars are the worst team in the NFL throwing the football and the Titans are missing one of their top playmakers for the season as well in Kenny Britt. The level of talent on the Texans exceeds that of any of the three teams in the division, even without Williams.

The hill ahead of them just got much harder to climb, but the Texans are still plenty capable of winning the AFC South and going to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. While the injury bug has been cruel and non-sympathetic to the Texans 2011 season, there is no reason to think this team can't still achieve the expectations placed upon them.