Coming off their Week 7 loss to Green Bay, the Houston Texans have gotten a little more defensive. Not in their overall personality, but by signing former Pro Bowl linebacker Devin White to help bolster their defensive unit, currently ranked second in the NFL. Houston is only surrendering 277 yards per game, so this acquisition is designed to add depth to an already impressive group.
Texans Defense Has Been A Pleasant Surprise in Devin White
White, 26, was the No. 5 overall pick out of LSU in the 2019 NFL Draft and played five seasons with Tampa Bay. As a Buccaneer, White was a part of the franchise’s Super Bowl LV squad, led by Tom Brady. White led the team in tackles during The Big Game, so he has a winning pedigree. However, he hasn’t played one snap this season as a Philadelphia Eagle, and he’ll be cast in a less prominent role with the Texans, as well. However, head coach DeMeco Ryans says the move was a big positive for his team.
“Excited to get Devin in here. We’ll work with him and see where he is,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said in his Wednesday news conference. “Try to get him caught up to speed to see if he can help us. So, it’s an opportunity for Devin to compete. Come in, learn how we do things, and see how he can fit in, and how he can help us.”
Hailed for its ominous offense – led by 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year CJ Stroud – Houston is known for being able to put points on the scoreboard. However, their defense has more than held their own with their Texans’ counterparts. After Week 7, the team has recorded seven interceptions to go along with 22 sacks. Will Anderson, Jr. has terrorized quarterbacks, dropping them 6.5 times in the 2024 campaign.
The Next Step For Houston
While the loss to the Packers isn’t a total shocker, it did expose some areas of weakness on the Texans roster. Mid-season injuries have started to mount, so Whiter may not be the last ‘street free agent’ that the franchise looks to sign. Still in first place in the AFC South, the Texans are the favorite to win the division and quite possibly the Super Bowl.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans discussed the defeat in his post-game media conference. He pointed out the lack of execution on several key plays, which cost the team in the close contest.
“Our keys to victory this week was executing and finishing, and we didn’t execute well enough,” Ryans said when discussing his unit’s ability to close things out. “All the way across the board, we didn’t execute well enough, and we didn’t finish the game. I credit the Packers. They finished it the right way. Made the plays when they needed to make it, and they finished the game the right way. For us to play how we played offensively is just not good enough for us. We have to play better. Guys have to execute better. Have to step up.”
The Texans will host the second-place Indianapolis Colts (4-3) in Week 8.
Main Image: Kim Klement Neitzel – USA Today Sports
