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Why latest revelation about Houston Texans defense is a good thing
Jun 9, 2023, 3:41 pm
DeMeco is in full control. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
DeMeco says he will be calling the defense this year
2023 is shaping up to be the start of a wonderful thing here in Houston sports. The Astros are still rolling. Their dynasty isn't over as some outside the city would hope. The Rockets have a new no-nonsense coach who's poised to take this young franchise to the next level. However, football is king here. What the Texans are building has great potential. Head coach DeMeco Ryans was brought back home to help finish facilitating the turnaround of a once promising franchise that took an unexpected nosedive due to some sketchy circumstances.
As a former linebacker as a player, his transition to defensive coach, then coordinator, and now head coach isn't surprising to those that have followed him. Former coaches, teammates, and others who know DeMeco have long said this is where he would end up. Getting his first head coaching gig with the team who drafted him is a full circle moment. He has the defensive acumen and coaching chops to turn guys once cast aside into All Pros. Fred Warner was a former third round pick that turned into an All Pro and credited DeMeco with that turnaround and got emotional talking about his departure from the 49ers as his defensive coordinator.
When DeMeco answered the question that he will be calling the defense this year, I think a collective sigh of relief was heard. Fans were the main ones wondering. Some media folks have speculated as well. While Matt Burke has a good track record of coaching in the league consistently since 2004, him calling plays seems as if it made people nervous. The announcement doesn't mean Burke isn't trustworthy, or qualified. It also doesn't mean this is how things will stay. But this is how things will start and I'm here for it.
DeMeco will start calling plays in order to establish what he wants to see from the defense. My assumption is that when/if Burke gets accustomed to how DeMeco wants things done, the reins will be turned over to him so DeMeco can concentrate his focus elsewhere. Offensive coaches are notorious for calling their own plays. Some defensive coaches do as well. Helping establish his team's identity in his first year as a head coach is brilliant. Especially on the side of the ball where he made his name.
This is something that could have ripple effects moving forward. I can imagine him being more heavily involved on both sides of the ball once things get rolling. His focus will shift from defensive heavy, to more of an all around look. DeMeco seems like the type of guy who's hired coaches he wants that'll help develop players, establish his type of culture, and will ensure their guys compete hard every week. This is also why I knew he'd hire a 49ers staffer to run the offense. He's seen what that offense can do. He knows how well his defense works with that offensive scheme. Pressure, tempo, and conditioning are factors that both sides of the ball need to share philosophy on. If the offense is more uptempo, the defense needs to be better conditioned, and vice versa. If your offense slows the game down, your defense can play more wild and free since they won't be on the field as much.
See how these things go hand in hand? With a rookie quarterback, young pieces around him, and a first time offensive coordinator, it makes sense that he wants to take the reins of the defense. It'll help offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, CJ Stroud, and the offense. Bobby and DeMeco worked together in San Francisco and have familiarity. Burke was with the Cardinals and Jets the past couple seasons. He's game planned against them one season and worked under their former defensive coordinator another season. This is why they may not be as intimately familiar with each other's styles. Matching styles on both sides of the ball matters. Over time, everyone will be familiar with one another. Whether DeMeco continues to call plays, or Burke takes over, I think the biggest thing fans should look at is how they develop players. Who calls plays means nothing if you don't have the talent to execute them. (Side eye to the GM because he needs to continue to acquire talent.)
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Oct 30, 2024, 3:06 pm
The Jets host the Texans and their scary defense on Halloween night! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
BetMGM NFL odds: Jets by 2.
Against the spread: Texans 3-4-1; Jets 2-6.
Series record: Jets lead 7-3.
Last meeting: Jets beat Texans 30-6 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 10, 2023.
Last week: Texans beat Colts 23-20; Jets lost to Patriots 25-22.
Texans offense: overall (9t), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (14).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (15t).
Jets offense: overall (24), rush (30), pass (13), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (4), rush (17), pass (2), scoring (11t).
Turnover differential: Texans plus-4; Jets minus-3.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon. He has carried Houston's offense in the three games since he returned from an injury and could be even more important this week after wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore the ACL in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season. Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 100.6 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD run in three straight games.
Jets player to watch
Edge rusher Haason Reddick. After ending his lengthy contract holdout early last week, Reddick made his Jets debut and played 26 snaps on defense with two quarterback pressures while working mostly on third downs. His snaps might increase a bit Thursday and he could help the Jets get after C.J. Stroud, who has been sacked 22 times this season — tied for third most in the NFL.
Key matchup
Jets offensive line vs. Texans' pass rush. New York has had issues this season with injuries, consistency and protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will face a tough test Thursday night against the Texans, whose 27 sacks are third in the NFL. DE Will Anderson Jr. is tied for third in the league with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks, including at least one in his past three games. DE Danielle Hunter has 5 1/2 sacks and DT Tim Settle has four, powering a formidable defensive front for Houston. Hunter leads the league with 51 quarterback pressures and Anderson is fourth with 39, the only teammates in the top 15, according to Next Gen Stats.
Key injuries
Diggs' injury leaves Houston without its top two receivers. Nico Collins, who leads the Texans with 567 yards receiving, is out for at least one more game after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. ... S Calen Bullock was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday after injuring his shoulder Sunday. … LBs Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) both missed the Colts game, but could return this week. … S Jimmie Ward could miss a fifth straight game with a groin injury. … LG Jarrett Patterson is in the concussion protocol and is likely out. … RB Dameon Pierce missed practice this week with a groin injury. ... Jets LB C.J. Mosley suffered a stinger in his neck during pregame warmups at New England and was meeting with neck and spine specialists this week. ... RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest), DL Leki Fotu (knee) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) all missed the game vs. the Patriots and their availability for this week was uncertain. ... K Greg Zuerlein was placed on IR. Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad, and one will be promoted for the game.
Series notes
The Jets have won the past two meetings. ... New York won the first five meetings, including the first game between the franchises in 2003, when LaMont Jordan's late 8-yard touchdown run helped lift the Jets to a 19-14 victory. ... Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the most recent meeting, a 30-6 rout by New York during which Stroud left with a concussion.
Stats and stuff
The AFC South-leading Texans have won four of their past five. ... Stroud is 2-0 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in two career starts in prime time. He had 285 yards passing last week for his ninth career game with at least that many yards passing, which is tied for second most in the NFL since 2023. ... WR Tank Dell had a touchdown reception last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. ... TE Dalton Schultz had a season-high 52 yards receiving against the Colts. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two Thursday night games. ... Hunter has 10½ sacks in eight career Thursday night games. … LB Neville Hewitt, who spent the 2018-21 seasons with the Jets, forced a fumble last week. … Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high three passes defended last week. … S Jalen Pitre had his first interception of the season last week. ... S Eric Murray had seven tackles and a season-high three passes defended last week. ... New York is trying to snap a five-game skid. ... Jeff Ulbrich is 0-3 as the Jets’ interim head coach since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. Ulbrich, also the team's defensive coordinator, said earlier this week he'll continue to call plays on defense. … Rodgers snapped a streak of three consecutive games with an interception. He has seven in eight games, six shy of his single-season career high set in 2008 in his first year as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. ... Rodgers hasn't passed for 300 yards since throwing for 341 against Chicago on Dec. 12, 2021 — a span of 30 regular-season games and 31 overall, including one playoff game. ... WR Garrett Wilson leads the NFL with 84 targets, 11 more than the Giants’ Malik Nabers. Wilson’s 51 receptions are second in the league behind Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who has 52. ... WR Davante Adams had four catches for 54 yards, giving him seven receptions for 84 yards in two games since being acquired from the Raiders. ... Second-year WR Xavier Gipson caught his first career TD pass last Sunday. ... TE Tyler Conklin has a TD catch in consecutive games after not having one since catching two TD passes in Week 8 of the 2022 season against New England. ... RB Breece Hall has 316 yards receiving, the most among NFL running backs. ... Edge rusher Will McDonald has eight sacks, second in the NFL to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (nine). … The Jets have only six takeaways, ranking among the fewest in the league. Backup CB Brandin Echols has New York's only two interceptions.
Fantasy tip
Houston wide receiver John Metchie is coming off a career-best three-catch game and could see more targets — and perhaps his first NFL touchdown — with both Diggs and Collins out. Might be worth a stash as a potential WR3.
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