The Houston Texans may have one of the best linebacker groups in the NFL. Led by veteran Azeez Al-Shaiir, this unit has been dominating at the point of attack. It has been hard to run against the Texans' defense, as they’ve allowed just 114 yards per game, ranking 12th in the NFL, according to Fox Sports.
Second-year pro Henry To’oTo’o has played a role in the defensive success. He’s totaled 50 tackles, one sack, and four tackles for loss in his first year as a starter. So, how big of a factor will he play in the Texans’ Week 10 matchup against the Detroit Lions?
We touched on this previously, but a big part of the Lions' offense is their run game. The two-headed monsters in the backfield, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, have a combined 1,144 rushing yards in their first eight games of the season. The duo has been unstoppable, and that’s opened up a lot in the passing game. With Sam Laporta starting to warm up as of late, that’s another big weapon coming across the middle, and one that To’oTo’o will have to be prepared for.
The Texans need to be relying on everyone, from their standout pass rushers, to To’oTo’o, to beat the Lions and move to 7-3 on the season. Watching this Lions offense, one thing they rely on is speed. From their backfield to the receiver room, they have speed all across the board.
The Texans will need to play fast and get to the quarterback quickly, and To’oTo’o is going to play a big role in that. This Texans defense continues to get healthier, and they should get some of their injured players back this week, getting To’oTo’o some help on defense.
Standing at 6’2 228 lbs, To’oTo’o is small enough to keep up with tight ends and physical enough to be a good run supporter. One thing is clear, the Texans think highly of the 23-year-old out of Alabama. The former fifth-round pick has picked up the defense exceptionally well this season, and is doing a tremendous job learning from Al-Shaiir.
Houston has been able to stay in these close games this season because of their defense creating turnovers and forcing third-down stops. With reinforcements coming at linebacker, this should be a game where To’oTo’o shines.
This may be the toughest matchup Houston’s defense has faced all season, as the Lions have shown no flaws on offense to date. This game will be telling for where this unit is headed come playoff time and late in the season when games begin to matter a little bit more.