The Texans' Week 10 bye comes at a good time for DE Mario Williams, who has played through a bruised left shoulder since early October. Entering the Nov. 8 game at Indianapolis, Williams had just six tackles and one sack in his last four starts, and he had twice been held without a tackle. He has appeared to favor the arm at times, and he has not nearly been the pass-rush threat that he was the previous two seasons, when he racked up 26 sacks. This is not the first time Williams, who has never missed an NFL game, has played hurt. As a rookie, he was bothered by plantar fasciitis in his right foot, but he still started all 16 games. However, he notched just 4½ sacks. With Williams not at 100 percent, the Texans' ability to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks has been compromised; finding a consistent pass rusher to complement him has long been a struggle, and particularly so this season.

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