But for the first time since the Houston Texans made him the top overall pick in 2006, Williams showed a sampling Sunday of why the team was so seduced with him that it passed over the seemingly can’t-miss talent of Reggie Bush and Vince Young to get him.
Now he’ll have to prove he can keep it up.
Williams returned a fumble 38 yards for a touchdown, registered two sacks among his five tackles and had three quarterback hurries in the Texans’ 20-3 season-opening victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
He showed the kind of game-changing ability the Texans kept saying he had but had yet to show. The 6-7, 285-pound player led a defense that limited Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson to 43 yards rushing.
Kansas City’s 219 total yards were the third-fewest allowed in Texans history.
Perhaps more impressive than his stats is what coach Gary Kubiak said about Williams after watching the game film.
“Well, y’all know Mario had some numbers, but the great thing was when you went back and watched the film, he was even better than you thought,” Kubiak said. “He was definitely a factor in the game every play. He was a force.”
Kubiak said it was Williams’ most consistent performance since he joined the team, adding that his work in tying people up helped other linemen do more. He credited N.D. Kalu’s sack to the performance of Williams.
The Texans never have strayed from their assertion that Williams would be a success and aren’t surprised by the breakout game, though it certainly had to be a relief to a franchise that has endured repeated criticism since its decision.
The displeasure began with chants of “overrated” from fans on draft day and reached a fever pitch when Young’s touchdown run in overtime gave Tennessee a win at Houston in December.
“It’s big for Mario because some people harp on all of us,” said defensive tackle and 2005 first-round pick Travis Johnson. “We have a lot of first-rounders on the defensive line, but we’re young. We’re still growing and we’re getting there.”
Williams started each game last season and finished with 47 tackles and 4½ sacks while dealing with a painful foot problem. Some outside the organization thought the ailment was an excuse, but the Texans know it wasn’t and said he showed character by playing through it.
Since he’s put that problem behind him, perhaps Sunday was the first time those in Houston saw the real Williams. Maybe the decision to draft him first won’t become one of the biggest gaffes in history after all and talk of Young and Bush will soon become a thing of the past.
It will certainly take more than one game for that frenzy to die down. But at least for one week talk of Williams will be more likely to include words such as super and sensational than disappointment and dud.
