First, let's get this out of the way. Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is damn good. There are few players in football with his ability that have the athleticism and speed to wreck an opposing team. He is symbolic of that entire Texans franchise: smart, hard working and resourceful.

Yet there has also been a strange force at work with Watt, and it's indicative of today's society and sports world. There is a rush by Texans fans and some media to anoint Watt legendary status after one terrific season. This is no fault of Watt's. This is what the media and fans do today. We lose all perspective and historical sensibilities. Reggie White? Who's that?

We saw this phenomenon in all of its nakedness with the words this week from Texans teammate Brian Cushing. Cushing was quoted by ESPN as saying Watt could become the greatest defensive player ever.

Watt has played two seasons. Two.

Watt could become a lot of things. He might one day pilot a starship, too.

Wade Phillips has coached in the NFL for over three decades, but all of that experience didn't stop Phillips from also becoming a prisoner of the moment. He said after last season that Watt, who had 20.5 sacks, had the best season ever for a defensive lineman.

Phillips should know better. He knows the name Deacon Jones. The late Jones played in an era in which sack numbers weren't kept, but it's believed he -- twice -- broke the 20-sack barrier (at a minimum). In the 1960s, he had back-to-back seasons of 26 and 24 sacks. Some football historians believe there were years in which Jones crossed the 30-sack threshold.

He did this in an era in which teams threw the ball some 27 times a game. The average last year was 34.7.

It is true that Jones was allowed to do things on the field that would have led him to be banned for life today. That was a great advantage for Jones. So was the fact that defensive backs could chop receivers off at the knees at the beginning of their routes and tussle and hold through their entire pattern.

The era, however, was more brutal. Offensive linemen could also do more dirty stuff. The big thing is there were fewer passes, so fewer opportunities to get sacks. Watt plays in an era in which it's a passing league. He has more opportunities than a great like Jones to rack up stats.

But let's get back to that Watt could be greatest ever. On Twitter and other places, Texans fans and a member of the media strongly defended that idea. So let's look at a few of the greatest ever. This is my top five, not in any particular order:

Lawrence Taylor: I covered Taylor his last year in football. He was a shell of himself -- and still pretty awesome. No player in NFL history combined size and speed like Taylor. No. One. He was a stronger, faster version of Watt. Joe Gibbs, the highly innovative Washington coach, basically invented the H-back to counter Taylor. He was a 10-time Pro Bowler and is a member of the 1980s all-decade team and 75th anniversary team. Hall of Famer.

Reggie White: Maybe better than even Jones, and that's saying something. Thirteen-time Pro Bowler, 1980s all-decade team, 1990s all-decade team and member of the 75th anniversary team. Hall of Famer.

Ray Lewis: No linebacker played with more speed and ferocity. Thirteen Pro Bowls, Defensive Player of the Year twice, Super Bowl MVP. Future Hall of Famer.

Deion Sanders: It can't be overstated how much of a disruptive force that he was. I know coaching staffs that would tell their quarterbacks not to throw to his side of the field the entire game. Please consider that fact for a moment. He'd cover Jerry Rice one-on-one. Eight-time Pro Bowler, 1990s all-decade team, Defensive Player of the Year and still holds the record for defensive touchdowns in a career with 19. Hall of Famer.

Dick Butkus: Maybe the toughest son of a you-know-what who ever played. Eight-time Pro Bowler, member of 1960s and 1970s all-decade teams, member of 75th anniversary team. Hall of Famer.

Those are just a few names. There are others like Bruce Smith, "Mean Joe" Greene, Ronnie Lott, Mike Singletary and Rod Woodson.

To say that, after two seasons, Watt could be one of those men is an insult to those men. It shows both a lack of knowledge and respect for the greats who built this game.

Again, this isn't about Watt. Good dude, outstanding player.

This is about history. This is about respecting it.