Mathieu makes quick impact in secondary
Safety has interception, fumble recovery in first game with Texans.
HOUSTON — The dark prospects of dropping into an 0-2 hole to start the season sets the stage for a hard-hitting game Sunday between the Texans and the Tennessee Titans.
After both AFC South division teams opened the season winless, new Texans safety Tyrann Mathieu is anticipating an aggressive mentality from both teams.
“It’s going to be like a bloodbath out there,” Mathieu said.
“Everybody is trying to fight to survive.”
Mathieu sprang into action against the Patriots and showed the Texans they are going to get what they paid for.
During his first regular-season game since joining the Texans, Mathieu intercepted Patriots quarterback Tom Brady once off a pass deflected by Angelo Blackson and recovered a fumble forced by fellow safety Kareem Jackson.
By doing so, Mathieu became the first Texans player to record an interception and a fumble recovery in the same game since linebacker Tim Dobbins six years ago. It was the first time Mathieu has had that type of double-turnover performance.
Mathieu, who signed a one-year $7.5 million contract with the Texans as a free agent, was as advertised during the 27-20 loss at Gillette Stadium, providing a ball-hawking presence.
“It’s always fun when you get off to a fast start and are able to make some plays,” said Mathieu, a former AllPro with Arizona. “I always try to do that. Hopefully, my teammates can feed off of my energy. There will be some days that I have to feed off of my teammates. It’s a collective effort.”
How does Mathieu keep creating turnovers?
It’s a mixture of film study, hustle, speed, reactions and instincts honed by years of practice and games.
“A lot of help from my teammates,” Mathieu said. “I’ve been real fortunate since college to play with some great guys and I get help before games watching film, helping me anticipate things. It’s important just to run to the football, and the ball will find you.”
For his career, Mathieu has recorded 308 tackles, 12 interceptions, 42 passes defended, 28 tackles for losses, four sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
“He’s a good, instinctive player,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “He’s a smart player, he studies tape, he’s very competitive. He’s a heck of a leader. His leadership has shown already. He was elected a captain after only being here for a few months. He’s a good football player.”
Despite Mathieu’s individual excellence, the Texans came up short.
In Mathieu’s first game against Brady, the former NFL and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player completed 26 of 39 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns for a 102.2 passer rating.
Mathieu wrote on social media that he had difficulty sleeping he was so upset about the setback against the Super Bowl runner-ups.
“I like the way we fought,” Mathieu said. “We could have dug a deeper hole. We stuck together. We didn’t point any fingers.
“We’re disappointed. We had talked about the Patriots all offseason. We felt like we were prepared. We were really disappointed we lost the game. We want to get the taste out of our mouth.”
The Texans had an encouraging game from their overhauled safety unit.
A converted cornerback, Jackson recorded a team-high eight tackles and forced two fumbles.
And rookie safety Justin Reid, a third-round draft pick from Stanford, didn’t look out of place when he substituted for Jackson.
“I thought Kareem played really well, he really embraced the role,” Mathieu said. “He’s playing with his hair on fire. I think safety fits him.
“Justin was way more calm. He is settling in. I like his aggressive style of play. He’s going to help us out a lot.”
It all bodes well for an oft-maligned group from a year ago that has been completely revamped.
Reid held his own while playing against Brady and Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski.
“I felt really comfortable with the speed of the game,” Reid said. “It felt like college. It was a huge confidence-booster. I got to go against two future first-ballot Hall of Famers and I felt comfortable out there.
“You’re talking about the standard that every team in the NFL is trying to reach. The way I performed against them, I know I can compete against them and every other team as well.”