The reference wasn't exactly obscure — after all, the Texans often flash a Super Mario Brothers cartoon on the JumboTron at Reliant Stadium — but the taunting was bizarre.

All the heckling Sunday at FedEx Field did was motivate defensive end Mario Williams.

"It was crazy," Williams said. "People were yelling at me right behind us on the bench, asking, 'Have I eaten my mushroom?' I listen to fans, and they have to realize that the stuff they say gets taken out on their quarterback.

"They were talking mad smack, which is normal. But you have to be smart about who you talk to.

"They got more than they bargained for."

Williams sacked Donovan McNabb three times in the Texans' 30-27 overtime victory, bringing his season total to four.

This, the former No. 1 overall selection said Tuesday, will be the norm. Maybe not the production, but the mindset. Williams is finished wondering what might have been, dwelling on meager stats from a previous game, or what might be, daydreaming about milestones he could reach in the future.

He's not buckling under the weight of expectations. He's simply playing, and he's playing well, off to the best start of his five-year career.

"He was obviously exceptional," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said Sunday.

Smiley N. Pool/Chronicle

Again, Williams says this is the norm. He considers himself the best defensive end in the NFL, an opinion he insists is void of arrogance.

"It's not about being conceited, it's about making yourself accountable," he said. "You have to grow accustomed to that mentality. Whenever I'm out there on the field, whatever the situation may be, I want to be the one making the play, making the tackle for a loss."

Self-reflection

Williams is certain he's not the only player in the league who feels this way, but he isn't focused on everyone else. For instance, Dallas and its formidable pass rusher DeMarcus Ware visit this weekend, seemingly a prime opportunity for Williams to gauge his growth.

But the 6-6, 290-pound Texan isn't interested.

"I look at what I do and what I do best, and I critique that," he said. "I don't compare myself to anybody."

The next step, Williams said, is an enhanced recognition of what offenses are trying to do to not only him but the rest of the Texans defense. It all starts with the action up front, which in turn dictates how the defensive backs must play.

Williams is aware of the praise heaped on the units in Minnesota and even Dallas. And he's also heard the critics disappointed in his 431/2 career sacks.

His response?

"With three other studs, it opens up the speed rush," Williams said. "By yourself, you just can't run past the quarterback."

Taking it up a notch

His natural gifts have taken him to his current level, but when his study and film habits improve, Williams suspects he'll be on a different level altogether.

"You can always be smarter," he said. "You can always learn."

jeffrey.martin@chron.com