Dr. Clowney?

Through 12 games of his first NFL season, Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has played in four games. He started in the first game of the season, injured his knee, and missed the next six games. He returned in week 8. Missed week 9. Bye in week 10. Played in weeks 11 and 12. Clowney saw his most most significant action of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. He was in the game for 49 snaps. Three tackles and one tackle for loss. Through 12 games, the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has seven tackles and zero sacks. It isn't really right to criticize players for injuries. It's a minor miracle when an NFL player, any NFL player, doesn't miss time to injuries. Football is a rough game and injuries are part of the game. Jadeveon Clowney is criticized for an apparent lack of enthusiasm in getting back on the field. It was a criticism that dogged him in college. In addition, Clowney has been quick, too quick, to explain his injury woes to the media.

Clowney told reporters yesterday that he suffered a setback last week. He said that the setback would give him a slim chance of playing Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Texans head coach Bill O'Brien didn't sound too thrilled with the medical diagnosis of his player.

"I don't know. Dr. Clowney, I'll reconvene with him and see how he's doing," O'Brien said.

Clowney did suffer a legitimate injury in that season-opening game. He suffered a torn meniscus and had surgery the next day. That injury and surgery caused him to miss the next six games. His apparent desire to get back on the field has been the concern. About two decades ago, then Minnesota Vikings running back Roger Craig played a week after arthroscopic knee surgery. Every player rebounds differently and Craig was certainly a different sort of football player but most NFL players will do all that they can to return to the game. Dr. Clowney seems to seek reasons for not returning. There's a setback. There's some swelling. There's soreness. Whether that's true or not, the Texans coaches are getting frustrated with their prized top pick. Clowney's teammates can't be pleased either. It's unfathomable that any player on the Houston Texans roster can give less than an honest day's work when they can look over and see how J.J. Watt works. Every day. Even when he's injured.