There was a play late in the 2nd quarter of Sunday's game between the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars that, if it weren't for the highlight reel worthiness of the play itself, would've probably gone under the radar, even though it shouldn't have.
Leading 20-10, the Jaguars offense was driving the ball down the field, looking to extend their 10 point lead before heading into the halftime locker room. The Jags had just crossed midfield, and with the bazooka leg of kicker Cam Little, Jacksonville was practically already in field goal range. But then, as Trevor Lawrence dropped back to pass and threw in the direction of practice squad call-up Austin Trammell, Texans All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. laid out and made one of the finest interceptions you'll see all season long.
On the surface, despite being a remarkable catch, the play could be considered relatively inconsequential. Houston didn't score before the end of the 1st half, Jacksonville's lead would eventually balloon to 19, and it would be the performances of Danielle Hunter and Davis Mills that became the top storylines coming out of a 36-29 victory.
While both Hunter and Mills do deserve top billing, it shouldn't take anything away from a spectacular play that potentially, if not likely, saved the Texans from being in an even bigger hole heading into the 2nd half. In fact, Stingley's one-handed grab was so impressive, it caused Texans teammate and fellow defensive back Kamari Lassiter to prompt the superstar corner to "chill out."
“I mean, one-on-one, go out there, dive, undercut the ball, one-hand snag it. I didn’t get to see it, because I was covering on the other side, but once I saw the replay, I’m like, ‘Bro, you got to chill out. Bro, you got to chill out,'" Lassiter said of the play after the game, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston.
Lassiter isn't the only Texans teammate that Stingley has made a habit of blowing away with his on-field ability.
“He is probably the best athlete I have been around in my life,” Texans QB CJ Stroud said of Stingley Jr.. “Ball skills, speed, strength, size and just someone who I have seen grow as a player. I am just very happy for him. I think he is going to be great in this league for a long time.”
While it would've been easy for Derek Stingley Jr. to toot his own horn after the game, the 24-year-old superstar instead talked about the play as if it were business as usual, noting that he still has room to improve while also giving credit to his teammates and to his father, former Arena Football League All-Star Derek Stingley Sr.
“That just comes from working on hand-eye coordination with my dad growing up. And whether that’s front yard, back yard, whatever, we just always was catching the football," Stingley Jr. said after the game. "Without my dad, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. I mean, just with everything. I wouldn’t even be who I am."
Who Derek Stingley Jr. is is one hell of a cornerback and an underrated game-saver for the Texans.