A certain Houston Texans wide receiver caught the eyes of the masses this past Sunday. In a 37-17 thwarting of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tank Dell produced a standout day for the Texans offense.
The rookie wideout finished the contest with five receptions on seven targets, for 145 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by this fantastic 68-yard touchdown snag on a busted coverage. The rookie-to-rookie connection was on full display, as the C.J. Stroud to Tank Dell connection brought a new level of explosiveness.
68-YARD TOUCHDOWN 🤘
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 24, 2023
CJ Stroud to Tank Dell‼️
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/TZM8uTORqA
Looking ahead to a Week 4 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the offense will once again have to be on point. Can they overcome a tough Steelers defensive front?
Dell’s follow-up to a breakout performance is what many are eager to see, making him the top player to watch this upcoming Sunday. This is due in large part to the prowess of Pittsburgh’s defense, which employs two of the best players at their respective positions in edge rusher T.J. Watt and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Looking at the Steelers secondary as a whole, the unit has eight takeaways, good for second place in the NFL to start the 2023 campaign. Fitzpatrick is a huge reason why.
For Stroud and the Texans' offense, quick work by the wideouts to gain separation on their routes will be the key to a consistent flow in the passing game. The prowess of the Steelers pass rush will force quick decisions.
At the forefront of that objective is Dell. The speedy wideout has already established himself as one of the finer route runners on the team, displaying prowess in all three levels of the field. He also represents one of the only true home run threats that the Texans employ in their wide receiving corps.
After last week’s dominant performance, more defensive attention may be coming Dell’s way this week. How he handles it will be the teller for this week’s contest.