The Houston Texans didn't get here overnight. Okay, they kind of did, because last season no one expected them to win a playoff game with a rookie head coach, rookie play caller and a rookie quarterback in C.J., Stroud, a year removed from a two-win season. But, somehow they made that big of a jump that quick.
I'd like to remind fans of other teams, though, that the Texans went through "rebuilding hell" as they call it, with bad season after bad season over and over again. That resulted in having a top-ish pick in several drafts, including the one before last year, where they were able to draft one of the best cornerbacks in the league.
Or should I say the best? The best cornerback debate has been one for some time now, and it's really, in my opinion, been between three corners. Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets, Patrick Surtain of the Denver Broncos, and Derek Stingley, who is of course on the Texans.
On Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, he did something no cornerback in the history of the league has done. Here is what the Texans PR team tweeted out about his huge day:
Today, CB Derek Stingley became the first cornerback in NFL history to record two interceptions and two tackles for loss in a game. With that interception, CB Derek Stingley became the first player in franchise history to record five total interceptions in the month of December. Over the last two seasons (2023-24), no player has recorded more interceptions in December than Stingley.
You really have to think about this one, too. There have been some pretty amazing cornerbacks in the history of his league, like your Charles Woodson of the Las Vegas Raiders, Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets, and even Rod Woodson of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and San Francisco 49ers, and yet no cornerback has ever done that?
It just goes to show that he isn't just a coverage guy or a guy who gets physical with the wide receivers on the other team. He can get up on the line of scrimmage and make plays.
Stingley isn't one of the best in the league at his position -- he's the best.
