Houston Texans

Jadeveon Clowney Nearly Ended Tom Brady (Video)

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:49 p.m. ET

Fansided, Cody Williams/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

Jadeveon Clowney blew through the New England Patriots offensive line and Houston Texans star laid a big hit on Tom Brady.

When J.J. Watt’s season was ended prematurely due to injury, many suspected that the defense might suffer. Instead, they held strong for a number of reasons. While the secondary was great and the line as a whole stepped up, the arrival of Jadeveon Clowney as a bona fide star may have been the biggest factor. And on Saturday in the AFC Divisional Round Game against the New England Patriots, Clowney looked the part again. In fact, he looked like the player that wowed everyone at South Carolina.

Clowney, you’ll remember, rose to Internet fame when he decimated Michigan running back Vincent Smith with a massive hit right as he got the ball in the backfield. Tom Brady almost suffered a similar fate at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night.

Right off the snap, Clowney beat his man inside and exploded into the Patriots backfield. Brady quickly noticed this and threw it near the closest guy with a New England jersey on without even thinking. Though he got the ball away (for an incompletion, of course) he still took a big hit from the surging Clowney:

Dude… even with the release Clowney is *flying* https://t.co/VQX5I4NLEC

— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) January 15, 2017

Though I may not be an offensive line coach, “don’t let that happen” might be at the top of my list when game-planning for Clowney and the Texans.

Clowney and the defense showed up in a big way in the first half against the Patriots. Their strong effort held the New England offense to just 10 points (special teams allowed a kick return touchdown to give the Patriots 17) in the first half. Though the offense has to step up still, that’s huge for a game where they entered at 16-point underdogs.