A win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 15 improved the Houston Texans to 9-5 on the season. A loss for the Indianapolis Colts later that same day meant the Texans were the AFC South Champs for the second year in a row.
During their latest win, the secondary stood out as a major strength. Tua Tagovailoa was picked off three times, including twice on the final three drives. The game was sealed when Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted a pass intended for Tyreek Hill. That was his second of the game and fifth this year.
As dominant as Stingley has been, he’s not alone. The entire secondary has been on fire. According to The 33rd Team, they’ve given up the lowest completion percentage (57.7 percent) and lowest passer rating (79.6) in the NFL.
Nothing comes easy through the air against the Texans 🤘 https://t.co/OMFnyiIElM pic.twitter.com/VchFZRng6I
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) December 16, 2024
Of the team’s 19 interceptions this season, 17 have been courtesy of five members of their defense — Stingley, Calen Bullock, Kamari Lassiter, Jimmie Ward, Eric Murray, and Jalen Pitre.
READ MORE: 5 important takeaways from Texans Week 15 win over Dolphins
They lost Pitre for the season but even with him being out, they’ve remained one of the toughest teams to pass against.
What’s more impressive is the age of their key players. Stingley is playing in his third season and is 23 years of age. Bullock and Lassiter are rookies and both are 21.
Houston will be in the playoffs for the second year in a row and they’ll have a chance to make some noise thanks in large part to this defense. They should also remain in the mix for years to come due to their youth, which should get fans excited.