The Houston Texans are off to a 3-1 start to the 2024 season, but it hasn't been easy sledding by any means, and that once again reared its ugly face on Sunday as the Texans had to come from behind and put together a game-winning touchdown drive to come away with the 24-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Yes, the game-winning drive put together by C.J. Stroud and company on the offensive side of the ball can take all the credit for pulling off the divisional win on Sunday, but it was a play late in the third quarter that likely saved this one from being a loss rather than a win.
On third down, Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby broke free for a huge gain and looked to be headed for an easy walk-in touchdown, however, Texans' rookie safety Calen Bullock, who was filling in for the injured Jimmie Ward, tracked down Bigsby to knock him out at the four-yard line.
Now you might not think this is a big deal, but it is. The tackle made by the former third-round pick out of USC was huge as it allowed for the Texans' defense to try and get a stop in the red zone to prevent the Jags from extending their lead. Jacksonville eventually wound up in a fourth-and-one situation and Jaguars' head coach Doug Pederson decided to go for it. The conversion was unsuccessful and the Jaguars didn't put any more points on the board the rest of the day.
The hustle and effort that Bullock displayed in that one play likely won the Texans this ball game and when speaking to the media following the win, head coach DeMeco Ryans spoke about Bullock's effort on the play to give the defense, and team, a fighting chance the rest of the way.
“One thing our defense stands on is effort. There's no better play that exhibits that effort than Calen [Bullock] giving us a blade of grass to stand on," Ryans exclaimed. "Calen's effort to run him down and get a stop and for us to regroup after such a huge play and be able to get a stop there in the red zone, that was a big turning point in the game. That shows what effort means, and if you play the game the right way with any type of effort, it can put you in position to be on the winning side. Proud of Calen for his effort.”
Seeing the level of effort Bullock put into chasing down what likely should have been a touchdown is exactly what head coaches are looking for when they draft or take a player in free agency. Bullock has looked sharp thus far into his short career with this big-time play in his first career start and an interception in his first-ever NFL game.
The Houston Texans will look to keep things rolling as they have a tough test against the Buffalo Bills upcoming.
