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DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN
HOUSTON — Houston Texans broad receiver Robert Woods thinks with alternative, he can show he is nonetheless among the best on the earth.
The Texans signed Woods in March to a two-year, $15.25 million deal hoping he can return to the participant he was with the Los Angeles Rams earlier than struggling a season-ending knee injury two seasons in the past. Even after posting a career-low 522 receiving yards and two touchdowns with the Tennessee Titans final season, Woods believes he is “most positively” a 1,000-yard receiver nonetheless — so long as he will get his alternatives.
“I had my fewest yards and may need simply as nicely had my second-fewest makes an attempt. I will make the performs and do extra with extra,” Woods instructed ESPN. “And I believe that was the factor once I received to L.A., I noticed my catches go from 50 a yr to 90, to 100. And clearly, I doubled my yards and doubled the stats.
“It is nearly getting the chance to make performs and assist contribute to the group. That is what I am hoping to do right here in Houston, have alternatives to make large performs and be myself and do what I am able to doing.”
If Woods can capitalize on his alternatives, he can change into a security internet for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was taken No. 2 total in April’s draft, and supply veteran management for a younger receiver group that has Nico Collins, rookies Nathaniel Dell and Xavier Hutchinson, who’re all underneath 25 years outdated. Houston may even get John Metchie III this season after the second-round decide was identified with leukemia last July and missed his rookie yr.
Regardless of a tumultuous flip of occasions since tearing the ACL in his left knee, Woods nonetheless depends on his mantra that he began in L.A. in 2017 referred to as “finest on the earth.”
“I would not even name it darkish or down days, however there have been at all times days whenever you continually discuss to your self to be self-motivated,” Woods stated. “It is a recreation the place it is all about confidence and believing in your self. And having that power whenever you’re in a position to step out on the sector understanding that you just’re succesful, and have the assumption that you are a dominant participant, so actually, it was extra so speaking to myself and understanding who I’m and by no means let that get fazed.”
The very best-in-the-world strategy rubbed off on teammates.
“It was a mindset that collectively we couldn’t be stopped so long as we all know who we’re and the work that was put in,” Dallas Cowboys broad receiver Brandin Cooks, who was teammates with Woods from 2018 to 2019, instructed ESPN. “It held us all accountable to deliver that normal day in and time out no matter what was happening.”
Earlier than signing a five-year deal price $39 million with the Rams in 2017, Woods was drafted within the second spherical by the Buffalo Bills in 2013 — the place he had 2,451 yards and 12 touchdowns in 4 seasons.
From 2017 to 2020 in L.A., Woods was ninth in receiving yards (4,070), eighth in receptions (322) and second in yards after the catch (1,777) amongst receivers.
Woods, 30, thinks he can recapture that type and has “much more within the tank.”
Nevertheless, Woods remembers each element of his damage. He obtained a jet sweep left at full pace from quarterback Matthew Stafford towards the scout group protection in follow. As soon as he crossed the road of scrimmage and noticed a secondary defender, he juked awkwardly off his left leg and crashed to the bottom.
Woods sprung again up and jogged round because the fast ache subsided, believing he solely hyperextended it.
“I believed I used to be being dramatic,” Woods stated. “A few minutes after, all of the ache went away, and I used to be wonderful.”
However by 5 p.m., an MRI had unearthed his season-ending surgical procedure.
The damage got here whereas Woods was on tempo for one more 1,000-yard season after recording 556 yards in solely 9 video games. It might’ve been his third such time doing so in 4 seasons.
The Rams would go on to win the Tremendous Bowl, and by March, the 2 sides had agreed to trade Woods to a group he desired. However as an alternative of taking reps to construct chemistry along with his new quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, and the remainder of the offense, Woods spent a lot of the offseason rehabbing.
However when Week 1 kicked off towards the New York Giants, Woods “felt good straight away.”
Nevertheless, the Titans began three quarterbacks over the course of the season as Tannehill missed 5 video games due to damage. Rookie Malik Willis changed Tannehill for 3 begins however did not throw for over 100 yards in any of these video games, and Joshua Dobbs took over for the ultimate two weeks.
The Titans ranked thirtieth in passing makes an attempt per recreation (26.8), and Woods completed with 88 targets (forty seventh). His targets per route run had been 20.1% (forty ninth) in comparison with twenty fifth from 2017 to 2020.
The Texans’ new offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, runs an analogous offense to Rams coach Sean McVay, nonetheless, which ought to give Woods some familiarity to his previous successes.
“Robert has performed on this offensive system earlier than,” coach DeMeco Ryans stated. “He is aware of it, is aware of it simply nearly as good as a few of our coaches comprehend it. So Robert is a man that younger gamers ought to attempt to lean on. Younger gamers ought to attempt to decide his mind and simply study as a lot as they’ll.”