Defense isn’t missing anything against run
Statistically, group better without Clowney, and ‘everybody has contributed to success’
When the Texans traded outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle, the presumption was the run defense would suffer this season. Through seven games, that hasn’t been the case.
The Texans are actually better against the run.
Going into Sunday’s game against Oakland at NRG Stadium, the Texans are tied for third in run defense, allowing 84.3 yards a game.
Looking back at last season, in Clowney’s first seven games — he didn’t play in the second game at Tennessee — the Texans ranked eighth against the run (92.5 yards). They finished third (82.7), including first in average per carry (3.4), and Clowney played a key role because he’s outstanding against the run.
This week, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, coach Bill O’Brien and defensive end J.J. Watt were asked who’s been responsible for the Texans’ improvement against the run without Clowney.
Without Clowney, Crennel moved Whitney Mercilus back to right outside linebacker. Brennan Scarlett starts on the opposite side.
"We just play our technique with whoever we have,” said Crennel, the architect of the defense. “I don't look at it as trying to fill in for someone we've lost. I try to figure out what we have and what I can get done with who we have. It's trying to use what we have to the best of their ability. That's my mentality." O’Brien agreed. “Everybody has contributed to the success against the run,” he said. “We've done a good job in the running game, but we've got to put it all together. The problem is, we've got to stop the pass better.”
That’s another story. If the Texans played pass defense like they the run, they’d be the best defense in the NFL.
The run defense will be tested Sunday because the Raiders are sixth in rushing (137.8 yards). Rookie Josh Jacobs has rushed for at least 120 yards in each of their last three games. The Texans haven’t allowed an opposing player to rush for at least 100 yards in 23 regular-season games dating back to the last game of 2017, when Indianapolis’ Frank Gore reached triple digits.
"I think it's just been a full team effort up front,” Watt said about the linemen. “They're taking on double teams and playing blocks the way they need to play them. They're just stout, and they let the linebackers run. They give the linebackers holes to run into. They’ve (linemen) all bought in, and they understand that's their job, and they do it really well."
Interestingly, Crennel, O’Brien and Watt pointed out that the run defense starts up front with nose tackle D.J. Reader as the anchor.
Reader is having his best season against the run and as a pass rusher. He’s a big reason the Texans have surrendered only 67.8 yards and 3.3 a carry over the last five games.
“He's one who’s stepped up and been consistent against the run, uses up two blockers and things like that,” Crennel said. “Scarlett has stepped in and done a decent job on the edge.
“I tell them every day it's not just one person; it's the group. Everybody has to run to the ball to make a tackle to keep a run from becoming a long run. I think they buy into that team mentality.”
In other words, that pack mentality. Reader, Watt and end Angelo Blackson are the foundation, with Brandon Dunn coming off the bench. Inside linebackers Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham have to be free to make tackles. As Crennel points out, so much is attitude.
“Particularly for the guys on the inside because they're the ones who are getting doubleteamed,” Crennel said. “To be able to fight a double team consistently, down in and down out, that takes a lot of mental toughness and attitude. Our guys on the inside do a good job with that."
Watt is recognized as a premier pass rusher, but his run defense seems to have improved.
“When you watch last week's game (Indianapolis loss), he just did a great job in all areas,” O’Brien said. “I think relative to the run defense, he does a good job of controlling his gap.
“He does a great job when the ball is run at him (and) he does a great job when the ball is run away from him. He's got excellent instincts as to what's going to be run. He's just a very difficult guy to handle.”
The Texans shut down the Colts’ running game, but quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw four touchdown passes. Watt knocked down Brissett six times but didn’t register a sack. He excelled against the run.
“I definitely played better against the run,” he said. “I’m always trying to get better at it. We put a lot of emphasis on it. We know it's a point we want to make every week, that we stop the run, and the guys have really taken to that. It's not always the most glorious job in the world, but we have guys that do it really well."