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.
Top 10 in fewest points allowed
As of Week 6, the Texans’ defense was ranked in the top 10 for fewest points allowed at 18.8, which is just 4.3 points more than the number one ranked defense in the San Francisco 49ers who give up just 14.5 points per game. The impact of the defense’s ability to maintain their lead was all too noticeable in their matchup in week 6 against the New Orleans Saints where they came out on top 20 to 13. Fans collectively held their breath for a stop in the final quarter and that's exactly what they got.
The Texans' defense had been put on notice the week before in their loss against the Atlanta Falcons 19 to 21, displaying what fans quickly described as secondary coverage that was simply far too soft. They came out with the right adjustments to tighten their coverage the very next week and showed that they can withstand the pressure to take their team to victory. Compared to the previous year’s average of 24.7 points per game, the Texans' defense is undoubtedly moving in the right direction.
Excellent at stopping the run
We all know everything starts at the line, and this year, the Texans under Ryans are quickly showing that coming in last place the previous year with the most rushing yards allowed per game was something to take personally. Following what could be described as a disastrous year with regards to stopping the run allowing an average of 170.2 yards per game, the Texans have allowed fewer rushing yards per game than the Dallas Cowboys with an average of 108.5 yards in the first six weeks.
There were many who understandably didn’t have high expectations of the Texans having much of a chance to stop the run, but with the right roster moves and a few games under their belt, as long as injuries don’t further their impact, it will soon be time to reconsider what the weakest link in the Texans defense really is.
A new sense of winning momentum based on current record
Last year the Texans finished their schedule at 3-13-1, but at this time during the previous season, the team had only won a single game and their next win wouldn’t come until eleven weeks later in Week 15. This year is already a different story.
At 3-3 going into their bye, the Texans have a sense of momentum that hasn’t been felt by fans in a long time. Coming off of the bye week, the Texans will be facing down teams like the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets.
At the end of the day, the most important statistic, and arguably the only one that really matters, is how many wins you can put up. The Texans are primed to add to their win column this year and capitalize on the changes brought on not only by a shockingly good rookie class on both sides of the ball but also on the sidelines as well.
Is there still a lot of work to do? Absolutely. That was felt more than ever in the loss against the Falcons when it came down to a field goal in the final seconds of the game. Rookie Will Anderson Jr. and Henry To'oTo'o along with recently named AFC Defensive Player of the Week Blake Cashman are doing their part to change the outlook along with the culture for the team, but with the third least sacks in the league and still allowing over 350 yards per game, the defense still has plenty of room to go.
With the Texans on bye and the schedule ahead for the next few weeks in their favor, fans can take comfort that while C.J. Stroud is rightfully earning the spotlight, the new defense under the eye of head coach DeMeco Ryans is correcting the mistakes of the year before and turning the team into a real contender in the process.