dden youre in a hole and you lose your patience. .

HOUSTON -- Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said Sunday that he isnt certain when hell return from his recent back surgery.I cant put a solid start date on when I can play, Watt, who has never missed a regular-season game in his first five seasons with the Texans, said. I dont plan on missing my first game, but I cant promise it. Im doing everything I can to protect my body, but the older I get, the more I realize you have to be smart.Watt had surgery on July 20 to repair a herniated disk in his back. His comments at Sundays first day of training camp were his first since the procedure, which sources have said could sideline him for six to 10 weeks and potentially jeopardize his availability for the early part of Houstons 2016 schedule.Last season I had a herniated disk in my back, Watt said. But it wasnt a terrible herniation, so obviously I could keep playing. And then throughout the offseason, there would be slight flare-ups here and there, but wed always get it under control. So it was nothing really bad.Right before training camp, we wanted to do a checkup and just to make sure and see where I was at, he added. Once the MRI came back, thats when we realized it was worse than we thought. Thats when we knew, and thats why it happened so close to training camp.Its not because its 90 degrees and I just didnt feel like being out there, Watt quipped.Watt, the APs Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015 with a combined 38 sacks, said the surgery was a success.We took a whole bunch of junk out of my back, so now I feel good, Watt said of the procedure, which removed the herniated disk. For the first two weeks, [the doctor] told me to just walk and lay down. Thats my rehab. Thats all Ive been doing. But they said as soon as the two weeks are up, I can ramp up quickly.Watt, who said he couldnt recall the specific name of the surgery, said initially hearing the recommendation was difficult.It was tough. Its one of those phone calls you dont want to get. But its going to be the best for me in the long run. Its one of those things where Im glad we found it, because if we didnt, it couldve been a whole lot worse, he said.The fact that were getting it taken care of now and Im going to be healthy for the season -- thats what matters most.Watt missed most of Houstons training camp in 2012, his second season with the Texans, and said he would draw on that experience during his recovery.In 2012 I missed all of training camp and didnt have a problem there, so I dont see this being a problem, Watt said.?Watt appeared to be feeling well at Sundays first day of training camp. While he remains on the physically unable to perform list, coach Bill OBrien said Watt is progressing well and remains right on track with his projected recovery.The 4,660 fans at NRG Park didnt expect to see Watt, who jogged to the field about midway through the teams practice. Naturally, the unexpected good news earned him a lengthy ovation. Watt watched most of the remainder of practice from the sideline, where he sat with an 8-year-old boy awaiting a heart transplant. The boy was attending Houstons camp as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.I jogged today a little bit, Watt said with a smile, referring to his entrance. They probably werent terribly happy to see me do that. But I feel good. Thats whats crazy. I feel good, my body feels good. Its just a matter of now listening to [the doctors].Ill do whatever they tell me to do, just so that Im healthy for the first game.With stitches from the surgery still in his back, Watt said the doctors are advising him not to stand for long periods of time or sweat. Because of that, he might not be on the sidelines on Monday or Tuesday. But with Wednesday representing the two-week mark after his surgery, the stitches are expected to be removed, which will allow Watt to begin heavier activities.As soon as the doctors tell me its safe for me to be on the field, Im going to be out there, Watt said. Theres nothing that hurts me more than watching practice and not being out there.In addition to the herniated disk, Watt also played with a broken hand and a torn groin during the 2015 season. He had surgery to fix the groin issue earlier this offseason.It was the roughest year of my career; theres no question, Watt said Sunday. But thats something that comes along with playing in the NFL. Youre going to put your body through the wringer. Youre going to go out there and play hurt. Thats just the way it goes in the league.Im doing everything I can to protect my body, and the older I get, the more I realize that you have to be smart in the way you do things and you have to be conscious of your body, Watt said.However, Watt noted that he did understand the difference between his other medical issues and the severity of back surgery.The back is a little bit different than any other injury, Watt said. Ive got to listen to the doctors a little bit more on this one. You cant just feel it out, because its your spine. Youve got be smart, which Im doing.Because of that, Watt isnt ready to give a confirmed timetable on his return.Im five years into this now, Watt said of his career. Ive learned that if you end up missing a game or two in the short-term to save yourself for the long term, thats smart.But thats not to say Im going to miss a game or two, he added. Im out here with the mindset to play Week 1. If it comes Week 1 and they say Im not ready, then Im not ready. But my mindset is to work to play Game 1.For now, Watt says his focus is on helping his teammates in whatever small way that he can.As soon as Im healthy enough to come out here and stand up, I will, Watt said. Im going to be out here helping however I can. I think its great for the young guys to get reps because I think we have a great defensive line and a great line coach.We have a really good team full of great players, Watt added. We have a lot of guys who truly enjoy being around each other. Theres just a good chemistry and a good vibe around our building. I think we have a good squad and Im not worried. I think theyre going to do a great job. Custom Seattle Seahawks Jerseys .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. Custom Football Jerseys Sale .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.footballcustomjerseys.com/custom-new-york-jets-jerseys-928c.html . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Custom Cincinnati Bengals Jerseys . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Custom Buffalo Bills Jerseys . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. NORMAN, Okla. -- When it comes to the negative, Oklahoma?coach Bob Stoops prefers to avoid singling out his players.But during his weekly Monday news conference, Stoops couldnt help but reference one player on the heels of the Sooners 33-23 Week 1 loss to the Houston Cougars.Stoops, however, was a few minutes too late. That player had already singled himself out.Thats all on me, quarterback Baker Mayfield said of the offenses second-half problems. [The receivers] got open. Thats all on me as the leader of the team and the captain. Its my job to deliver the ball. They got open for me. They did their part.Now, its my responsibility to just deliver it to them.Oklahomas offense came out humming in the opening minutes of the game, scoring two touchdowns and a field goal through its first four drives. Mayfields decisiveness was a big reason, as he quickly delivered passes to the Sooners top playmakers -- notably Joe Mixon.Just comparing the first and second half, the first half I got the ball out of my hands quick, eliminated the best part of Houstons defense, which we had game-planned, Mayfield said. Then second half, obviously things changed. I didnt get the ball out as quick as I wanted.In that second half, Oklahomas offense dissembled into Mayfield scrambling around haplessly in the backfield trying to make a big play that wasnt there. As a result, the Sooners didnt score until a meaningless touchdown in the final two minutes when the outcome had already been decided.I only have one quarterback. I dont like to throw players [under the bus] or name names, but at times, Baker held on [to the ball] and instead of taking what was open and what was there in his first read, was waiting for something different, Stoops said. Something that takes a little longer to progress, and thats not how the offense operates. We had guys in certain spot that would have been easier throws and wouldve helped us.Mayfields go-for-broke, second-half style resulted in several ugly numbers. He ended up with more rushing attempts (13) than Mixon and Samaje Perine combined (12), to go along with a negative rushing total. After completing all nine of his passing attempts in the first half, Mayfield had nine incompletions in the second. He also took five sacks that, as Stoops pointed out, were more on him than the receivers not getting open or the offensive line protecting.On a few occasions, he might have beeen more effective taking something sooner and that was available instead or waiting for that to come open -- Im thinking of one particular case that sticks in my mind, said Stoops, who later alluded to another play where Mayfield kept the ball instead of pitching it on an option call.dddddddddddd If he pitches the ball, its going to get [the running back] 50 [yards] or a touchdown, then he doesnt pitch the ball.I think [Mayfield was] probably pressing. Trying to make the big play instead of the simple play and the obvious play.The Houston loss wasnt all due to Mayfields pressing. Oklahoma executed disastrously on a pair of critical plays in the second half that had nothing to do with its quarterback.After Oklahomas first drive of the third quarter stalled out, Houston returned a 53-yard field goal attempt 109 yards for a game-swinging touchdown. Later in the fourth quarter, the Sooners called a beautifully designed double pass that seemed destined to be a touchdown. Receiver Dede Westbrook, however, overthrew a wide-open Dimitri Flowers. The next play, Mayfield was sacked and stripped, and the Cougars recovered the fumble.We were in a good balance, and then the third quarter happens, and now youre behind 16, Stoops said. We fumbled two times and we had the long field goal that gets returned. Then all of a sudden youre in a hole and you lose your patience. ... it gets you out of your rhythm.The Sooners have a prime opportunity to regain their rhythm this weekend against Louisiana-Monroe before Ohio State comes to town Sept. 17. With TCU and Texas to follow, Oklahoma can get back into the playoff mix, despite opening with a loss, if it can reel off three consecutive wins against such formidable opponents.But the only way the Sooners will have any chance of accomplishing such a feat is if Stoops most important player performs much better than he did in Week 1.Ive just got to be better, Mayfield said. I know what to expect of myself, and knowing how the team reacts to my play, its even more important. Just getting the ball out and keeping everybody on a positive note and keeping the attitude good and on the bright side is important for me, and ultimately, thats getting the ball out of my hands, getting it into their hands and letting them make plays. ' ' '