3 Observations from the first Houston Texans preseason game

The defense came to play

The Houston Texans invested heavily in the improvement of their defense during the 2023 offseason. Against the New England Patriots last night, that unit displayed dominance. 

The Patriots were held to little offensive production, amassing nine points and 164 total yards of offense. As a team, the Texans sacked the quarterback three times, with linebacker Denzel Perryman, and defensive ends Chase Winovich and Kurt Hinish each breaking through the line. 

With the Texans secondary being the talk of the town, it was the pass rush that came to play last night. Constant pressure was the name of the game for head coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke, with the team executing the game plan brilliantly. 

Most importantly, the unit appeared to be in sync and in control, something the Texans are going to have to continue to display in order to reach the next level defensively. Though one game is a small sample size, the tenacity and grit with which this team played could very well prove beneficial for the team down the line. 

For now though, the Texans' defense showed significant strides. On top of winning the game, that is another major victory in itself.

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