As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, checking out the Houston Texans’ defense.
ALEX’S SCHEME REPORT
TEXANS RUN DEFENSE
The run defense has not been strong this season. They’re allowing 4.3 yards per carry, 19th in the league, while allowing seven rushing scores, which is tied for the most in the NFL. They’ve allowed nine runs of 10 or more yards, which is 15th.
Houston is another 4-3 front with a style similar to San Francisco with head coach DeMeco Ryans coming over from there. Not as much talent but the same philosophy. Overall, they’re not a heavy-box team and aren’t looking to be plus-one, playing a fair amount of two-high safety looks. Watching the teams they played did made their run defense a little trickier, read option and RPO-heavy teams in Indianapolis and Jacksonville, but a downhill, between-the-tackles style is best. That’s what Jacksonville had success with.
Their leading tackler is LB Henry To’oTo’o with 20 of them. There is no every-down player at linebacker with To’oTo’o logging 70.6 percent of the team’s snaps.
Rookie Will Anderson and Jonathan Greenard are their top two defensive ends, both playing 133 defensive snaps this year. Veteran Jerry Hughes rotates in at just over one-third of the time. As you’d expect from an even front, there’s a healthy interior rotation too with their starting defensive tackles playing about 60 percent of the time.
Some other defensive stats. They’re allowing 24.3 points per game, 22nd in the NFL. They’re a poor situational-football team and Pittsburgh needs to take advantage. Houston is 27th in third-down defense at 47.5 percent while their red zone defense is also 27th, allowing a touchdown 72.7 percent of the time.
One other important note. They’ve missed 35 tackles across their first three games, second-most of any team only behind the Carolina Panthers’ 39 entering Week Four. A chance for YAC against these guys and surprising number given the fact a defensive coach like Ryans is leading the team.
TEXANS PASS DEFENSE
The secondary has kept things in front but that’s resulted in a high completion percentage. Opposing quarterbacks are completing 73.2 percent of their passes, 29th in the league, but they’ve given up just two passing scores on the year. Partly because of all the rushing touchdowns they’ve given up.
They have two interceptions, including one from ex-Steeler Steven Nelson, and four team sacks, though only three by players currently on the roster. One of them being from Will Anderson, who has five QB hits in addition to his sack. They’ve allowed eight completions of 20 or more yards, a middle-of-the-pack number leaguewide.
The pass rush is generally just their front four, blitzing less than one-quarter of the time. That’s 23rd in football. Anderson is their primary left defensive end, and they stunt and loop the heck out of him. He’s strong and physical to be the looper inside and work into the B gaps.
And they throw sim pressures and MUG gaps in passing situations like most teams. Mike Tomlin mentioned this during his Tuesday press conference and referenced the Texans’ “3×1” looks. Usually that refers to the offensive alignment, but it’s become a popular defensive front. Look at it here with three linemen aligned to one side with one backside. These are stunt and game alerts the offensive line must be on guard for.
Coverage, there’s a mix of man and zone. There isn’t one defined personality. I would say they’re an aggressive defense with safeties who want to jump routes and play the ball. In Week Two against the Indianapolis Colts, their secondary forced a fumble on the first play of the game.
Generally speaking, they play Cover 2/zone against 2×2 formations. Against 3×1, they play man. Examples of both. In the latter, their man coverage, it’s an example of their Cover 1 “Rat,” a man-free concept with a “Rat” (or Robber) in the hole to take away crossers.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Steelers have now won two straight games in primetime, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday to go to 2-1 on the season. They now will travel to Houston on Sunday to face a Texans squad that is relatively young and developing on the defensive side of the football, much like Pittsburgh’s offense. New HC DeMeco Ryans has already made a notable impact on the group as the unit plays with noticeable speed and physicality, flying to the football with great effort in pursuit from all three levels. The Texans currently rank near the middle of the pack in the NFL in nearly every statistical category but have surrendered only two passing touchdowns this season (second) compared to seven rushing scores (31st).
Defensive Line
The defensive line is headlined by rookie DE No. 51 Will Anderson Jr. Anderson was selected with the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and brings strength, athleticism, and a relentless motor to the table after the Texans traded up to select him. Thus far, Anderson has logged 13 total tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack, and five quarterback hits. He’s been more disruptive than productive as a pass rusher to start his rookie season, but his run defense has been impressive. He will set a strong edge against the run and show great pursuit of the ball carrier. Anderson will likely see a lot of RT Chukwuma Okorafor on Sunday afternoon.
Opposite of Anderson is DE No. 52 Jonathan Greenard. The University of Florida product has made himself into a quality NFL player, logging eight sacks in his first two seasons after being a third-round pick in 2020. However, Greenard missed nine games last season due to injury, causing his sack number to plummet in his third season. Greenard has one sack through three games, but the defensive end does a good job providing pressure on the quarterback, likely pushing LT Dan Moore Jr. in this game.
Behind Greenard and Anderson is No. 55 Jerry Hughes. A longtime veteran who racked up nine sacks last season as a starter, he is now laying more of a rotational pass-rush role for the Texans, like what Markus Golden is doing for Pittsburgh. Along with Hughes is No. 92 Dylan Horton, who is in his rookie year, coming out of TCU. He has played about 30% of the snaps in a rotational role as capable pass rusher and average run defender. No. 95 Derek Rivers also provides depth at defensive end.
At defensive tackle, the Texans have two athletic men on the interior in No. 98 Sheldon Rankins and No. 96 Maliek Collins. Rankins came over from the Jets this offseason after starting 15 games for them last season. He’s undersized (6-foot-2, 305 pounds), but is lightning quick, having the speed to beat interior blockers across their face as well as the quickness to run down ball carriers in pursuit. Collins has been with the Texans the past two seasons and has started 30 games for them, providing an interior pass rusher who wins with quickens and hand usage. He isn’t the strongest run defender though, needing to do a better job at playing with leverage and maintaining gap control.
Behind the starters is former Pittsburgh Central Catholic product No. 93 Kurt Hinish, who played his college ball at Notre Dame. He started three games last year for Houston after going undrafted in 2022, posting a sack and six tackles for loss as a player who his best suited for a depth/rotational role.
Linebackers
The linebacking corps for Houston is led by No. 6 Denzel Perryman. Perryman is questionable for Sunday’s contest as he’s missed practice time this week with a hand/wrist injury, which caused him to sit out last week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Stepping up in his place was No. 48 Christian Harris, a third-round pick out of Alabama a year ago who started 11 games in 2022 before being named a full-time starter this season. Harris has 10 combined tackles and a sack in 2023, showcasing that play speed and range he put on film at Alabama. He does a good job evading blocks with quickness but can get stuck on blockers who get their hands on him, being overwhelmed with strength and size.
Stepping up in Perryman’s place last week was No. 39 Henry To’oTo’o. The rookie is a fifth-round pick out of Alabama who joins his former teammate in the box for Houston. He’s been a tackling machine since cracking the lineup, making 20 total stops this season as well as netting a pass deflection. To’oTo’o is a fluid mover in space, being a smaller linebacker who can change directions well in coverage as well as playing run and chasing after the ball. He lacks the size and strength to adequately combat blocks though, making him susceptible to getting covered up against the run.
No. 53 Blake Cashman also figures to get some run with Perryman likely out. Cashman has good play speed and flies to the ball with good pursuit. He also makes an impact in pass coverage with two pass deflections and an interception so far in 2023. Houston also has No. 42 Cory Littleton, No. 57 Neville Hewitt, No. 35 Jake Hansen, who primarily play special teams while providing depth on defense.
Cornerbacks
The Texans have been snakebitten when it comes to injuries this season, having lost No. 24 Derek Stingley Jr. for the next several weeks due to a hamstring injury. No. 4 Tavierre Thomas is also expected to miss the game after having hand surgery this week, leaving the team short-handed (pun intended) in the secondary this weekend.
Starting for the Texans will be a familiar face as No. 21 Steven Nelson suited up for the Black and Gold for two seasons. He started 15 games last season for Houston and played well, allowing a 59.7% completion percentage for 367 yards and two touchdowns while getting an interception and seven pass deflections. He may not have great deep speed, but he’s comfortable playing in man coverage down the field, having the awareness and competitive demeanor to challenge No. 1 wide receivers at the catch point. Opposite of Nelson is No. 0 Shaquill Griffin, who signed with Houston this offseason after being released by Jacksonville. He steps in for Stingley on the outside, being an average starter who has good long speed, but he can get lost in man coverage at times.
Behind those two are No.25 Grayland Arnold, who figures to see some time in the slot with Thomas out, No. 27 Alex Austin, who is primarily a special teamer as well as No. 30 Ka’Dar Hollman, who mainly factors in on sub packages as well as special teams.
Safeties
Luckily for Houston, No. 5 Jalen Pitre returned to practice this week after missing the last two games with a bruised lung. Pitre is an impact player who does is all for the Texans defense, logging 147 total tackles, five tackles for loss, a sack, a fumble recovery, eight pass deflections, and five interceptions in 2022, his rookie season. He plays all over the defense, lining up in the slot, in the box, on the back end as a deep safety, and near the line of scrimmage. He is a fiery competitor who makes plays in all facets of the game and needs to be a player Pittsburgh accounts for should he suit up on Sunday.
Beside Pitre in the secondary is No. 1 Jimmie Ward, who signed with Houston this offseason, following Ryans from San Francisco. Ward is a hard-hitting safety who plays with reckless abandon, going 100 mph as a physical tackler as well as looking to separate ball from man in pass coverage. He does well playing downhill and in off-coverage but can be exposed when tasked with covering man-to-man against bigger tight ends or crafty slot receivers. Also playing safety for Houston is No. 39 M.J. Stewart, who has started one game in Pitre’s absence and plays as a strong safety/dime linebacker in the box. He has the size to match up with tight ends in coverage but is best suited for run defense.
No. 23 Eric Murray has also seen more playing time, starting all three games this season after being relegated to a backup role in 2022. He will often play deep safety in Houston’s sub packages, allowing Pitre and Ward to roam around and play closer to the line of scrimmage. Also at safety for Houston is No. 30 DeAndre Houston-Carson, who has seen 33 snaps on defense this season but primarily operates as a special teams player.
