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Home News Local News

Houston Texans: Why Stopping Derrick Henry Remains A Big Question – Houston Chronicle

houston-texans:-why-stopping-derrick-henry-remains-a-big-question-–-houston-chronicle
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The narrative of Derrick Henry’s dominance against the Texans has developed into a normalcy. It’s a consistent enough conundrum that there really isn’t any need to pose Henry’s imposing stat line to any Texans defender. They know more than anyone how Henry has rushed for at least 200 yards and two touchdowns in each of his last four games against their franchise.

“Well aware,” defensive end Jonathan Greenard said.

The question How do the Texans stop Derrick Henry? has confounded three head coaches, three defensive coordinators and a drove of defenders who have failed to answer it. The two-time Pro Bowler’s 892 yards and nine touchdowns in his last four games against the Texans are more than most running backs gain in an entire 17-game season.

Henry has exposed the weaknesses in each of Houston’s dubious defensive schemes, and as the 1-12-1 Texans slump toward another offseason, how Lovie Smith’s defense performs in its second chance against Henry could influence whether a fourth head coach or defensive coordinator will be tasked with tightening the titanic rusher in 2023.

The Texans remain on pace to surrender the most rushing yards in the franchise’s 21-year history. But Smith’s defense has fielded a notable turnaround in the seven games since a horrible seven-game sequence that ended with Henry supplying 219 of Tennessee’s 314 rushing yards in Houston’s 17-10 loss in Week 8. The Texans have allowed 22.1 percent fewer rushing yards per game in their second span of seven games, and they’ve cut their opponent’s astonishing 5.6 yards per carry average to a mildly more manageable 4.2.

Only New York’s Saquon Barkley has surpassed 100 yards rushing against Houston since Henry’s supreme Sunday in NRG Stadium, and the Texans have since limited Cleveland’s Nick Chubb, the NFL’s third-leading rusher, to 80 yards and the dominant Dallas duo of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard to 104 yards at 4.16 yards per rush.

Smith believes both health and experience have contributed to his defense’s improvement. Maliek Collins, the focal point of the defensive front at 3-tech tackle, did not play against the Titans while he was sidelined for two games with a chest injury. The seven-year veteran has supplied much of Houston’s backfield disruption with 14 tackles and five tackles for loss in the last four games.

“We’ve got to continue to get better as a group,” Collins said. “I feel like we’re getting healthier, too. We’re getting some of our core pieces back. I’m excited to see these next three games and how we end this thing.”

Greenard, who missed 10 games after tearing his calf, was also sidelined against the Titans. He returned against the Chiefs, logged 21 defensive snaps as a rotational defender, and the 2020 third-round pick should see his role increase after yet another week of practice.

“We know they’re gonna give the ball to 22, we’ve just got to understand where they want to run in the point of attack,” Greenard said. “Once we get that understood and just be physical the entire game, I think it will work out for us.”

Houston’s first match with Tennessee also marked the first career start for rookie linebacker Christian Harris, who held the league’s third-highest missed tackle rate (33.3 percent) among linebackers during his first three starts (min. 40 snaps), according to Pro Football Focus. The third-round rookie from Alabama has since significantly cut down that percentage (17.6), and he led the Texans with 13 tackles and three tackles for loss against the Chiefs on Sunday.

“This is what we’re looking for with everybody,” Smith said. “We’re just looking for their overall play to get better. Keys, recognizing plays. Being where you’re supposed to be in zone coverage, man coverage, when you blitz. Tackling, making plays in pass coverages, all of those things. Being a pro off of the field. Meetings, not ever being late. Early, staying late. It’s all of the above is what all of our football team has been doing.”

Job security remains at stake in Houston’s lost season, both for a third-time head coach and a roster that has 18 players whose contracts expire in the offseason. On a Christmas Eve rematch in which the Titans are expected to run the ball heavily on a sub-30 degree day with backup quarterback Malik Willis under center, the Texans already know what to expect.

“Despite this season, this is still Tennessee,” Greenard said. “This is nothing but bragging rights and we have the opportunity to go out there and obviously upset some guys and make their season a little more difficult.” 

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