Previewing the Houston Texans Defense
Even being as bad as a one-win team would seem to be, the Houston Texans still have a few positives to draw from.
One of them is their defense, which rank a respectable 13th in the NFL in points allowed.
Texans head coach Love Smith has a history of being a good defensive coach, and he's been able to get good play from a defense with a lot of young pieces.
They have given up a lot of yards, ranking 31st in the league, but they tighten up once opposing teams get in the red zone, being fourth in red zone defense.
The Texans have also been able to force turnovers, thanks primarily to a secondary with a lot of potential.
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., this year's third overall NFL draft pick, has already shown his talent, only giving up a 76.9 passer rating in coverage.
Fellow rookie safety Jalen Pitre leads the team with two interceptions, and veteran slot corner Desmond King has given up a 33.8 passer rating.
They've been able to prop up the Texans defense, which doesn't have near as much blue-chip talent in the front seven.
Their best pass rusher is veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes with four sacks, and at 34 years old, he's not someone that's going to be around for long.
Defensive tackle Rasheem Green has shown upside, but he's playing at a lower rate than he did last season and has only started one game.
Despite all of this, they're still tied for seventh in the NFL in sacks, being able to produce more than the sum of their parts.
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