Defense is in a rush to pressure the QB
Returning players shook off rust but didn’t shake up Brady
Jadeveon Clowney got tackled from behind when he tried in vain to chase down New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
It was an obvious holding penalty that went unnoticed by the officials.
Whitney Mercilus got stuck to blocks too frequently last Sunday in his first game back since tearing his pectoral last season.
J.J. Watt did manage to hit the former NFL and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player twice.
During a 27-20 loss to the Patriots, the Texans allowed Brady far too much time to get comfortable in the pocket. He exploited the defense by completing 26 of 39 passes for 277 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
The Texans’ only two sacks were provided by nose tackle D.J. Reader when he shifted out to defensive end after Christian Covington injured his knee and thigh.
Heading into Sunday’s game at Tennessee, the Texans are in a major hurry-up mode to improve at hurrying the quarterback.
“We need to, got to,” Clowney said. “We don’t have a choice. …We just have to get after them and go get them.”
Much is expected from the triumvirate of Watt, Clowney and Mercilus as pass rushers. So, the season opener was a disappointment collectively as a defense.
This was Watt’s first-regular season game since breaking his leg last October. It was Mercilus’ first game of the year because he was sidelined during the preseason with a hamstring injury.
What will it take for the Texans to get on track?
“I think the rust has to get knocked off, for one,” Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. “Then, they have to work in practice with the game plan to get themselves free because many times in pass rush it comes down to a one-on-one battle.
“You have to be able to beat the guy you’re going against, whether it’s with your moves or whether it’s with power or a combination of both. So, we’ll work at it and hopefully we’ll be able to get more guys getting into the backfield and getting after the quarterback.”
The Texans have a prime opportunity to get after elusive Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota this week.
Both of the Titans’ starting tackles, Taylor Lewan (concussion) and Jack Conklin (knee), are expected to be out this week. So, the Texans will be going against backup tackles Dennis Kelly and Kevin Pamphile.
“That will depend on what (Titans coach) Mike (Vrabel) thinks about those guys and what he plans to do with them,” Crennel said. “They’re big, physical guys along that front. They’ll come off the ball and hit you.
“So, whether they will run a zone scheme or whether they will run a gap scheme, that will depend on what he thinks about them and what his game plan is.”
Clowney led the Texans with 9½ sacks last season. When he gets on a roll, he tends to maintain that momentum and dominate blocking schemes.
Until he gets his first sack, though, Clowney won’t be satisfied.
“It’s very important,” Clowney said. “They all come in bunches. Once you get one, they all start rolling in, We’ve got a good front around here. I don’t expect guys to hold the ball long against us all season long.”
Crennel isn’t convinced that Mercilus and Clowney are completely back as far as their normal timing and anticipation.
“Not totally,” Crennel said. “No, you have to get into the game. They were both a little rusty, so we’ll have to see this week if the rust has been knocked off yet or not.”
If not for Reader, the Texans would have hardly pressured Brady at all. He knocked the quarterback down three times.
“I’ve said all along, he’s the best nose guard in the league,” Watt said, “For a nose guard to be able to go out there and get two sacks in a game like that, first game of the year, that’s not even his main job and he’s doing it really, really well.”
Crennel doesn’t sound inclined to suddenly increase the amount of blitzes he dials up. That is a tactic the Texans have resorted to in the past when they don’t generate a pass rush with their defensive line, sending inside linebackers Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham after the quarterback.
“Blitzing will help if they don’t block them because then you hit the quarterback,” Crennel said. “If they block them, then you take your chances on the back end.”
Crennel is encouraged by the progress Watt displayed in the second half against the Patriots as he defeated blocks and penetrated the Patriots’ backfield.
“In the second half, he became more comfortable,” Crennel said. “We say he knocked the rust off in the first half. Then, in the second half, he was more comfortable with the assignments that he had to perform on the field and he began to show up more.
“It’s always exciting to see him in the backfield. It’s very helpful because he’s a playmaker. When he makes plays, it helps the other guys also because he lifts everybody up.”