Taking the top off the defense
Speedy second-year receiver Fuller has done nothing but make important plays this season
Texans receiver Will Fuller convincingly sold his pass pattern, triggering the reaction he wanted from the Cleveland Browns’ secondary.
Because of Fuller’s rare speed, the Browns’ defense had no hope of recovering as he made a sharp cut to the outside on a corner route. Fuller was open as he sprinted away from Browns rookie safety Jabrill Peppers, the closest man to him on a 39-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson.
It marked the fifth touchdown catch by the former Notre Dame standout in his third game back since returning from a broken collarbone.
It was the third consecutive catch that went for a score going back to his two-touchdown game last week against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“He just takes the top off,” Watson said of Fuller. “You have to respect that as a defense, so you’re either going to have a safety to play deep or he’s going to take two guys with him and that’s going to create an opening in the defense.
“Being able to have a guy like that who can stretch the defense out and open up the underneath routes is big.”
An explosive presence
Fuller led the Texans with 62 yards on two receptions. He’s scored a touchdown in every game he’s played in this season after missing the first three games with the shoulder injury suffered during training camp in West Virginia.
The explosive presence of Fuller and his 4.28 speed in the 40-yard dash is astounding to teammates. They marvel at how easily Fuller creates separation behind defensive backs.
“Oh, it’s great,” Texans Pro Bowl outside linebacker/defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said. “He can fly and get behind the defense and be our deep threat man. We need him.”
Fuller adds an element of speed that provides a complementary presence opposite Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Having to account for Fuller downfield while also being faced with Hopkins’ diverse repertoire of underneath routes creates a quandary for defenses.
They can’t overreact to Hopkins or Fuller. Otherwise, they wind up leaving themselves vulnerable against one of the Texans’ wide receivers.
Balancing the field
On Sunday, the Browns tilted their coverage toward Hopkins. He wound up catching a seasonlow two passes for 19 yards on five targets, but one of those catches was a touchdown.
“Again, they did a good job high-balling the corner,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said of the Fuller touchdown. “We didn’t sink and get enough depth. We didn’t get the reroute and they fly. There were little cracks all around the football team.
“We played against a team that’s been winning and they’re hot. We’ve got to find a way to get this tide turned.”
Fuller (6-0, 180) has significantly upgraded his hands since his rookie season when he dropped several passes. He’s gotten stronger in the weight room.
Fuller did drop one pass Sunday as he was targeted five times, but absorbed some contact on the play while he was trying to secure the football.
For the season, Fuller has caught eight passes for 154 yards. He’s averaging 19.3 yards per reception. He’s scored a touchdown on 62.5 percent of his catches.
“He’s electric,” Texans running back D’Onta Foreman said. “I played against him in college. Seeing him do the same thing here, it’s wonderful.
“He’s a great deep threat and catches the ball well. I’m proud of him.”