Top 3 stats to prove Texans' defense under DeMeco Ryans is the real deal

The Houston Texans continue to defy expectations with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud taking the league by storm in his first six games, but new head coach DeMeco Ryans is showing that his new defense is ready to step up when it counts most. With both sides of the ball performing so well for the Texans, it’s easy to see why fans are getting more excited every week. 

Last year, the Texans’ defense allowed the third most yards per game trailing behind only the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings with 379.5 yards each game. They were last in the league in rushing yards per game with an average of 170.2 yards, and they just missed the top five teams who allowed the most points per game by coming in at sixth place with an average of 24.7 points allowed per game. 

This year, the Texans' defense is looking to put all of that in the past. Ryans and his SWARM mentality have pushed the defense to make the stops when they matter most and the team is making the most out of it. While there may still be work to be done, the culture is changing and the team is putting up the wins to prove it.

Let’s take a look at the top three stats that show Ryans’ defense is righting their wrongs, and laying the foundation for a team that is looking more and more ready for the postseason with each week.