Texans DE J.J. Watt named AFC Defensive Player of the Month

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Is the Texans' J.J. Watt the best defensive player in the NFL? Well, he certainly was last month.

The defensive end was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September after leading the NFL in sacks and helping the Texans to a 4-0 record.

Watt leads Houston's top-ranked defense with 7.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, five passes defensed and two fumble recoveries. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after tallying 1.5 sacks for 11 yards, a fumble recovery and two passes defensed in Week 2 at Jacksonville.

Watt followed that performance with 2.5 sacks for 11.5 yards and four tackles for loss in Week 3 at Denver. Watt continued his stellar play against Tennessee in Week 4 with 2.0 sacks for 17 yards, three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.

The 6-5, 295-pound second-year player leads all AFC defensive linemen with nine passes defensed since he came to the NFL. He ranks second on the team with 32 total tackles this season.

Watt is the third Texan to win defensive player of the month honors, and sixth player overall, in franchise history. Former Texans S Marcus Coleman was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month in September of 2003 and OLB Connor Barwin was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month in November of 2011.

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