Mario Williams Reportedly Done For The Season With Torn Pectoral Muscle, According To Report

During Houston Texans' head coach Gary Kubiak usual press conference duties, Kubiak had a chance to reflect on his two-time Pro Bowler Mario Williams as Williams has officially been declared out for the rest of the season with a pectoral injury. Per HoustonTexans.com writer Nick Scurfield:

"I feel so bad for Mario because man, he’s been such a heck of a player, and what we’re doing to me is really going to blossom his career from now on," Kubiak said. "I think he had really taken to the position he’s playing. He was improving every day in practice, improving in every game and really enjoying – I think I’ve never seen him so upbeat about what was going on – and to lose him on a freak play, it doesn’t look like much at all. I’m disappointed for Mario. Obviously, it’s tough on the team. We’re missing a great player."

With Williams out, rookie linebacker Brooks Reed from Arizona will move into the starting lineup. Reed ended up playing in more than three quarters of action against the Raiders after Williams' injury.

Kubiak also noted that Connor Barwin could move from his normal strongside linebacker position to the weakside position that Williams normally plays. Barwin, drafted out of the University of Cincinnati in 2009, has 2.0 sacks this season.

For more insights and updates on the Texans, check out SBNation Texans blog Battle Red Blog.

The Houston Chronicle's John McClain is adding finality to an earlier report by ESPN's Adam Schefter that Texans linebacker Mario Williams' torn pectoral could end his season. According to McClain, Williams will have surgery to repair the tear later this week and will be done for the year. 

McClain also reported that Brooks Reed, a rookie from Arizona, will replace Williams. Against Oakland, Reed had four tackles and two quarterback hits. 

Williams last play of the season was his fifth sack of the year since moving to linebacker from defensive end in Houston's new 3-4 scheme. McClain noted that most of WIlliams' teammates didn't notice his absence initially because of the Texans' personnel rotation:

Around that time, as if by design, Williams whisked by the gathered media in the hall on a golf cart driven by a team employee. He didn't seem to be in any discomfort, but an MRI on Monday morning revealed the damage.

It was surreal, as were the accounts by his teammates of what happened. Because the Texans use a rotation in the defensive front, most of the defensive backs didn't even realize Williams was hurt.

"As the game is going on, you know, you start looking around and thinking, 'Where's Mario?'" safety Danieal Manning said.

ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Texans linebacker Mario Wiliams suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday's 25-20 loss to Oakland and is out indefinitely, with a possibility he'll miss the remainder of the season.

Williams appeared to have injured himself tackling Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell in the first quarter. Williams, the former first overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, moved from defensive end to linebacker this season in Houston's new 3-4 scheme. He leaves with five sacks and one forced fumble. 

Coach Gary Kubiak wouldn't speculate as to the severity of Williams' injury yesterday:

"I'm not a doctor, so I don't know," Kubiak said. "I hate to answer that right now in the state of mind I'm in. So let's see what happens. I'll get back with you when I find out."

Almost all of Houston's marquee players have suffered injuries this season. Running backs Ben Tate and Arian Foster have battled knee and hamstring issues respectively, and All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson is currently out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.

Houston Texans defensive leader Mario Williams has sustained a pectoral injury and will not return in their battle versus the Oakland Raiders in Reliant Stadium.

Per ESPN's Paul Kuharsky:

Mario Williams out with pectoral injury and will not return. #Texans now without their best offensive and defensive players. -- @espnafcsouth

Earlier it was reported that Williams suffered from a finger injury after sacking Oakland Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell, but now with reports of an injury to the pectoral muscle for Williams its certain that the outside linebacker will be out of action for a longer period of time.

Although Houston now have a 14-12 lead over the Oakland Raiders heading into halftime, it will be interesting to see how the Texans will fare without Mario Williams on the defensive side of the ball, and Andre Johnson on the offensive side. Brooks Reid has been called on by Texans' head coach Gary Kubiak to step in for the injured Williams.