If Lawrence Taylor sounded a bit taken aback this week when the dominator he used to be was compared to one of today's players, he had a good reason: NFL coaches rarely liken a fifth-year pass-rusher to the man widely regarded as the greatest defensive player of all time.

Especially NFL coaches with the credibility of Bill Belichick, who treasures his time as an assistant with Taylor's New York Giants. So when Belichick compared J.J. Watt to the outside linebacker he coached for 10 years, it made news. And that news prompted a call to Taylor, who offered up the qualifier that he doesn't slip on his ol' No. 56 and plant himself in front of a big-screen TV every Sunday to watch hour after hour of the sport he changed forever from the blind side.

But yes, he has seen enough of the Houston Texans defensive end to understand we're all watching something pretty special. Asked whether he agreed with Belichick's assessment that Watt belonged in his ballpark, Taylor told ESPN.com by phone: "That's not for me to get involved in. I think there are only a few guys that can play in any era, and J.J. Watt is one of those guys.

"I'd probably put him in the top 10 all time, and then time will tell where he fits on that list. Is he Deacon Jones? No, not yet. Is he Reggie White? No, not yet. Bruce Smith? No, not yet. That comes with time and a lot of work being put in. But I do think Watt's a great player who goes 110 percent on every play. The thing you want from a defensive end is to be disruptive, and he is very disruptive. The guy is a force."

J.J. Watt has a chance for his second consecutive 20-sack season. Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports

In advance of Sunday night's game between the Texans and New England Patriots, before word hit that Watt would play with a broken hand, that force inspired Belichick to deliver a staggering tribute to the opponent charged to sack his guy, Tom Brady. The Patriots coach said that there've been "very few players I would put in the same conversations with Taylor" but that Watt is "that same kind of player."

Although Belichick didn't rank Watt above Taylor, the last defensive player to be named league MVP (in 1986), he did say the Houston pass-rusher is "as disruptive of a defensive lineman as I've seen in the league, in the same general category as LT."

Heavy, heavy stuff, and more proof that life for Watt -- a transcending star and burgeoning endorsement powerhouse -- is as good as it can be for a franchise player on a 6-6 team that starts Brian Hoyer at quarterback.

But that's the thing: Watt might very well be the league's best player on either side of the ball, yet he remains confined by the position he plays. He isn't a quarterback, meaning he doesn't have half the control over his Super Bowl ambitions that Brady has over his.

It isn't fair, of course. Watt is so incredibly good at what he does that he should have as much say in whether his team reaches the postseason, and whether it wins once it gets there, as any contending quarterback does. It just doesn't work that way. Pro football isn't an equal-opportunity enterprise. Woody Allen once said that 80 percent of life is showing up; in the NFL, 80 percent of life is showing up with a quarterback capable of winning big games.

Years ago, when he was just establishing himself as the league's best cornerback, Darrelle Revis was asked whether he believed he could win a championship or two with the New York Jets, a team last crowned in the winter of 1969. Revis said it all depended on the development of Mark Sanchez, and we know how that worked out. When Revis finally won his ring, Brady was his quarterback.

Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor already puts Watt among the all-time great defenders. Tony Kurdzuk/USA TODAY Sports

Defensive megastars can do only so much. To date, Watt's quarterbacks have included the likes of Matt Schaub, Case Keenum, T.J. Yates, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett and Hoyer, who was essentially fired by the hopeless Cleveland Browns. Out of that underwhelming cast, the 2012 version of Schaub was probably the one who could have taken the 12-4 Texans to the Super Bowl in Watt's time. He beat Andy Dalton in the first round of the playoffs, then got outplayed by Brady in the second round in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Houston is 17-27 since that loss.

Now Watt is trying to will his team back into the playoffs, broken hand and all. He has 13.5 sacks and a shot at a second consecutive 20-sack season and his third overall; no other pass-rusher has ever managed more than one 20-sack season. His relentless play has helped the Texans win four of their past five and land in a first-place tie with the Colts in the AFC South, his conference's answer to the NFC East. But despite the fact that Hoyer has done a nice job after outlasting Mallett and that Bill O'Brien looks like a keeper two years into his NFL head-coaching career, it's fairly obvious Watt would be in much better position with Brady on his side instead of Brady's former backup (Hoyer) and Brady's former position coach/coordinator (O'Brien).

Back in his day, great as he was, Taylor understood that, no matter how often he hit the other team's quarterback, his own quarterback had a firmer grip on the outcome of a game. Taylor won two championships because the Giants had a very good (if not great) starter in Phil Simms and a fearless and resourceful relief pitcher in Jeff Hostetler. "Maybe our quarterback wasn't a Brady or a [Joe] Montana," Taylor said, "but when Phil Simms got into his swing, he was as good as anybody."

And that was good enough. On the subject of old and proud Giants, Taylor also added a reminder that Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was right there with Belichick under Bill Parcells. "Romeo is a very good coach," LT said. "He will definitely get the best out of J.J. Watt."

Belichick made it clear he expects no less from Watt on Sunday night, and to hammer home his point he summoned the name of a player who's supposed to be in a league of his own.

"I respect what Bill Belichick said and what he thinks," Taylor said, "because he knows more about the game now than I do. But is that what he feels, or is he just trying to butter up someone on the other side? I don't know. Regardless, J.J. Watt is young and he's definitely a force. It's only going to get better for him."

Better for him as an individual trying to climb the ladder of all-time defensive greats? No question. Better for him as a player trying to win a Super Bowl ring?

That depends on who ends up playing Hoyer's position for the rest of Watt's prime.