Mario's on the move
Wade Phillips has found his 3-4 defense's key LB, and his name is Williams
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
May 5, 2011, 11:18PM
The more tape Wade Phillips watches of Texans defensive end Mario Williams, the more he sees DeMarcus Ware.
Phillips, who's switching the Texans' defense to a 3-4, isn't comparing Williams to the Dallas Cowboys' Ware, an outside linebacker who is the NFL's pre-eminent pass rusher. But he is putting Williams at the same position that has enabled Ware to register an NFL-high 60½ sacks over the last four seasons and 80 in his six-year career.
"I think he's the rush guy we need," Phillips said. "You have to put him in the spot that gives him the best chance to rush the passer all the time and be your star rusher.
"He's got the talent. With him standing up, he lines up a little wider, and he's coming every time on a different angle. This gives him the chance to be the premier rusher, just like DeMarcus."
Phillips coached Ware for almost 3 1/2 years until being fired during the 2010 season.
"A lot of players have gotten a lot of sacks playing defensive end in our defense, but the Will (weak side) linebacker is the premier guy," Phillips said. "He's just too talented to not give him the opportunity to be the guy."
During the lockout, Williams returned to North Carolina State, where he's 12 hours shy of getting his degree in sports management. When the lockout ended briefly last week, he met with Phillips.
"I feel great about it," Williams said about moving to weak-side linebacker. "What an opportunity for me.
"Wade told me he'll put me in the best position to make plays, and the biggest thing that got my attention was when he said, 'Just go.' He wants me to get after the quarterback 90 percent of the time. He said, 'When the ball's snapped, I want you to go, be fast and get the quarterback.'
"When they want me to cover, I'll do it. I don't think that'll happen too much. I don't think you'll see me turning and running and covering somebody man-to-man down the field."
NFL's biggest linebacker
Williams should be in coverage about 5 percent of the time.
"A little bit but not much," Phillips said. "It gives you a chance to rush every play, and it shuts down the weak-side run with a big guy like him.
"He only stood up a few times. Most of the time his footwork wasn't good, but we can fix that. That's not going to be a problem. He also did some good things when he stood up."
Williams, who will be in the last year of his contract, is almost 6-7 and says he weighed "about 290" last season before missing the last three games because of two sports hernias that required surgery. That would make him the largest linebacker in NFL history when he lines up on the weak side with one goal in mind: getting the quarterback.
"We talked about that," Phillips said about Williams' weight. "I don't think he's a natural 290-pound guy. When he came in the other day, he was like 282. I don't think he'll have a problem getting down a little bit."
After Phillips was hired, he said Williams would remain at right end. He pointed out how well Bruce Smith played that position for him at Buffalo.
"After we talked about it and looked at everything again, we decided Mario's got to be the guy," Phillips said. "Once we determined that, it changed what our thinking was in the draft."
The Texans used their first two draft picks on defensive end J.J. Watt and outside linebacker Brooks Reed, who'll compete with Connor Barwin on the strong side.
Can't wait to get started
"I'm very excited about this," Williams said. "I think it'll be a good change-up for our team — not just for me, but overall because of the flexibility Wade will have with the way he'll be able to mix things up.
"Playing defensive end, I have a few more responsibilities. Being an outside linebacker, I'm always on the edge. When the ball's snapped, it's full go after the quarterback.
"I'm eager to get on the field and learn the terminology. I want to work on the things (linebackers) coach (Reggie) Herring and coach Phillips want to teach me about playing outside linebacker."
john.mcclain@chron.com
RACKING UP THE SACKS
Over the past four seasons, the Texans’ Mario Williams ranks sixth in the NFL with 43½ sacks in 61 games:
Player Team Games Sacks
DeMarcus Ware Cowboys 64 60½
Jared Allen K.C./Minn. 62 55½
John Abraham Falcons 63 45
James Harrison Steelers 63 45
Trent Cole Eagles 63 44
Mario Williams Texans 61 43½
Wade Phillips has found his 3-4 defense's key LB, and his name is Williams
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
May 5, 2011, 11:18PM
The more tape Wade Phillips watches of Texans defensive end Mario Williams, the more he sees DeMarcus Ware.
Phillips, who's switching the Texans' defense to a 3-4, isn't comparing Williams to the Dallas Cowboys' Ware, an outside linebacker who is the NFL's pre-eminent pass rusher. But he is putting Williams at the same position that has enabled Ware to register an NFL-high 60½ sacks over the last four seasons and 80 in his six-year career.
"I think he's the rush guy we need," Phillips said. "You have to put him in the spot that gives him the best chance to rush the passer all the time and be your star rusher.
"He's got the talent. With him standing up, he lines up a little wider, and he's coming every time on a different angle. This gives him the chance to be the premier rusher, just like DeMarcus."
Phillips coached Ware for almost 3 1/2 years until being fired during the 2010 season.
"A lot of players have gotten a lot of sacks playing defensive end in our defense, but the Will (weak side) linebacker is the premier guy," Phillips said. "He's just too talented to not give him the opportunity to be the guy."
During the lockout, Williams returned to North Carolina State, where he's 12 hours shy of getting his degree in sports management. When the lockout ended briefly last week, he met with Phillips.
"I feel great about it," Williams said about moving to weak-side linebacker. "What an opportunity for me.
"Wade told me he'll put me in the best position to make plays, and the biggest thing that got my attention was when he said, 'Just go.' He wants me to get after the quarterback 90 percent of the time. He said, 'When the ball's snapped, I want you to go, be fast and get the quarterback.'
"When they want me to cover, I'll do it. I don't think that'll happen too much. I don't think you'll see me turning and running and covering somebody man-to-man down the field."
NFL's biggest linebacker
Williams should be in coverage about 5 percent of the time.
"A little bit but not much," Phillips said. "It gives you a chance to rush every play, and it shuts down the weak-side run with a big guy like him.
"He only stood up a few times. Most of the time his footwork wasn't good, but we can fix that. That's not going to be a problem. He also did some good things when he stood up."
Williams, who will be in the last year of his contract, is almost 6-7 and says he weighed "about 290" last season before missing the last three games because of two sports hernias that required surgery. That would make him the largest linebacker in NFL history when he lines up on the weak side with one goal in mind: getting the quarterback.
"We talked about that," Phillips said about Williams' weight. "I don't think he's a natural 290-pound guy. When he came in the other day, he was like 282. I don't think he'll have a problem getting down a little bit."
After Phillips was hired, he said Williams would remain at right end. He pointed out how well Bruce Smith played that position for him at Buffalo.
"After we talked about it and looked at everything again, we decided Mario's got to be the guy," Phillips said. "Once we determined that, it changed what our thinking was in the draft."
The Texans used their first two draft picks on defensive end J.J. Watt and outside linebacker Brooks Reed, who'll compete with Connor Barwin on the strong side.
Can't wait to get started
"I'm very excited about this," Williams said. "I think it'll be a good change-up for our team — not just for me, but overall because of the flexibility Wade will have with the way he'll be able to mix things up.
"Playing defensive end, I have a few more responsibilities. Being an outside linebacker, I'm always on the edge. When the ball's snapped, it's full go after the quarterback.
"I'm eager to get on the field and learn the terminology. I want to work on the things (linebackers) coach (Reggie) Herring and coach Phillips want to teach me about playing outside linebacker."
john.mcclain@chron.com
RACKING UP THE SACKS
Over the past four seasons, the Texans’ Mario Williams ranks sixth in the NFL with 43½ sacks in 61 games:
Player Team Games Sacks
DeMarcus Ware Cowboys 64 60½
Jared Allen K.C./Minn. 62 55½
John Abraham Falcons 63 45
James Harrison Steelers 63 45
Trent Cole Eagles 63 44
Mario Williams Texans 61 43½
