The Houston Texans have one of the best defenses in the league, despite what all of the numbers say. When they need to make a big play, they make a big play. When they need a stop, they most of the time get the stop. But the offense, or the side of the ball that has lacked this season, has put the defense in bad situations, time and time again.
And, the Texans have the players to make big plays time and time again. They have three players who currently are top-ten, or around that mark, on almost every single betting site, in odds to win Defensive Player of the Year. Cornerback Derek Stingley, and defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter round out the list.
Against the Miami Dolphins, in a win where the offense still struggled, the defense made plays. And, one of the more impressive plays we saw was one of Stingley's interceptions, where he snagged the ball out of Tyreek Hill's hands.
And, when the NFL's official account posted the video of head coach DeMeco Ryans reacting to the play, it's easy to see why his players love him.
Stingley has been great this year, and his ball skills have really made a leap and put him into the conversation as the best cornerback in the league. His coaches are even likening him to one of the better ball hawks of this era.
“Honestly, pretty similar, very similar. X [Xavien Howard] was – it’s just all those plays," Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. "I feel like it’s like Sting’s trademark, signature, that sort of over-the-top catch he makes.
"And actually, we played New England, I’m going to say ’17 in Miami when I was in Miami and X had a couple similar like that. Like [WR Brandin] Cooks is hitting over the top and he just tracked over the top and makes those plays. So, there’s a lot of those elements I see, for sure, similarities.”
Stingley has been one of the biggest reasons the defense took the leap that it did, and, he is a reason the Texans are sitting firmly in the No. 4 seed, ahead of other great teams, but wild card teams at that, like the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, and the Baltimore Ravens.
The Texans can lose the rest of their games and still be the fourth seed. The only thing they are fighting for now is winning out, and hoping the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers lose a game or two so that the Texans can hope for a potential second playoff game.
