Ravens vs. Texans: Will Anderson Jr. 'Excited' to Take On Lamar Jackson
When opposing defenses line up against the Baltimore Ravens this season, they'll be tasked with stopping one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Lamar Jackson. It's a tough ask for any defensive end to slow down Jackson, and that's especially true for a rookie.
But one rookie that appears to be up to the task is Houston Texans rookie edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. He'll be asked to do just that in his first career regular season game on Sept. 10.
A mobile quarterback with a cannon for an arm that can make any throw on the field and has the ability to scramble away from a pass rush is a hard assignment for even the most seasoned defensive linemen. But Anderson Jr. is ready for Week 1 against Jackson.
"I gotta go take the up-field shoulder and make the play, man," Anderson said on The Rich Eisen Show. Anderson revealed his mindset for the game and how that factors into stopping Jackson.
"Just going out there and being myself," Anderson said. "Don't overdo it, do everything that you've been doing right in training camp leading up to this moment, not making it bigger than it is and just making sure that I'm honing my technique and my discipline. It's going to be fun, I'm super ready and excited to go out with the team in action for the first time."
Anderson explained how excited he was for Texans coach DeMeco Ryans' regular season debut against the Ravens.
"(Ryans has) been doing a great job, staffing is doing a really great job and the players, of course, we've been working our butts off. Just to be a part of this is a big blessing. I'm super happy and I don't take anything for granted.
Ryans said that Anderson, despite being a rookie, has already become a leader in the defensive room.
"Watch how he shows up to practice every day. That's how everyone should look," Ryans said earlier this week as the Texans work their way through the preseason ending with a Sunday meeting with the Saints. "Watch how he plays on game day: full speed every time, all-out effort, physicality. That's what it should look like, and that's where Will is. That's what a leader does."
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