Phillips responds to reed’s censure of Texans

HOUSTON— Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips believes his scheme with the Texans works just fine, despite what Ed Reed says.

Reed is a nine-time Pro Bowler who was released by the Texans on Nov. 12 and signed with the Jets. He said Wednesday that the Houston defense “is not a good fit for a lot of people who are still down there” and singled out Phillips as a big reason for his departure.

Phillips responded to Reed’s criticism on Wednesday.

“I think a lot of players have fit into it real well,” Phillips said of his defense. “I just let the record speak for itself. We’ve got seven guys on defense that have been here since I’ve been here, and I feel like they’ve played real well within it.”

Houston defensive end Antonio Smith brushed off Reed’s comments.

“You just have to take it for what it is,” he said. “Everybody has their opinion ... I like the scheme.”

Houston is mired in a franchise-record eight-game skid, but the defense is allowing the fewest yards in the NFL.

The 35-year-old Reed was signed to a three-year, $15 million contract in the offseason after he spent his entire 11-year career with Baltimore. The Texans courted him in an effort to beef up what they saw as an elite defensive unit that needed an upgrade in the secondary to make an expected run at the Super Bowl.

—The AssociATed Press