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.
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