Jadeveon Clowney Welcomes Connor Cook to the NFL (Video)

Connor Cook’s first start in the NFL in the AFC Wild Card Game didn’t start well thanks to Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney.

On the Oakland Raiders first possession of the game, Houston Texans edge defender Jadeveon Clowney nearly intercepted Connor Cook after tipping the ball into the air. With the Raiders sporting a banged up offensive line without starting left tackle Donald Penn, Clowney figured to be a factor all day in the AFC Wild Card matchup.

It didn’t take long for him to show up again. On the Raiders next offensive possession, Clowney once again made his presence felt.

The Raiders rookie quarterback tried to throw a quick pass to running back Latavius Murray out in the flat. However, Clowney read it like a book and was right there to make the play. He tipped the ball into the air, but this time he intercepted the rookie.

After the interception Clowney was hit late by Raiders offensive lineman Menelik Watson and it drew a 15-yard penalty. Watson of course is filling in for the injured Penn. As a result, the Houston Texans offense set up shop at the Raiders 4-yard line. On the first play of the drive Lamar Miller took the handoff, bounced it out left and ran in for the first touchdown of the game.

If you had low expectations for Cook going into this Wild Card game, it was apparent quickly that they may not have been low enough—especially against this Houston defense and Clowney.

Next: 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Two Round Projections

The Texans defense was swarming and the rookie simply looked outmatched. After the turnover, though, Cook seemed to get his feet underneath him and the running game began to help out. They drove down the field after getting nice field position from a return and brought the score to 10-7, still in favor of Houston.