Strategic pathways for Houston Texans to level up their surging defense
PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT
20 December 2023
As expected, the Houston Texans defense is greatly improved this season, with DeMeco Ryans coming over from San Francisco to but his stamp team.
One of the areas we've seen the most improvement is against the run. The Texans were dead last against the run last season, allowing 170.24 yards per game. In just one season, DeMeco has the Texans 6th against the run, only surrendering 93.5 yards per game.
And while drafting Will Anderson has certainly improved the unit, we have to take notice of what Jonathan Greenard is doing. He's fantastic against the run, but he's also sacking the quarterback at a high level, with already 12.5 sacks on the season.
The thought of Greenard and Anderson harassing opposing QBs for years to come has to be very appealing to DeMeco and the entire Texans fan base. But there's a catch, Greenard is in the last year of his deal, and he's going to want a contract that pays him market value.
So the question becomes, should Houston pay him? The Texans will have a ton of cap space this offseason, and the best time to add pieces is when you have a quarterback on an affordable rookie contract.
But to be fair, he's had some injury issues in the past and only played in 8 games last year. It's always a little concerning when a player has the best season of his career when he's about to be a free agent.
On the flip side, the Texans and their coaching staff have been a mess in recent years until Ryans was brought in. One could make the argument that it's hard to judge Greenard for previous seasons based on what was around him.
What about the secondary?
Derek Stingley is starting to show why he was drafted third overall in 2022, but let's not forget about Steven Nelson. He's been terrific, and he's also set to be a free agent after the season.
Should the Texans pony up and re-sign both players, or look to the draft to find their replacements?
Be sure to watch the video above for the full discussion and much more!
Subscribe to SportsMapTexans on YouTube for our latest videos.
Presented by Coors Light.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
