HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) -- There might not be a better defensive front in football right now than the Carolina Panthers.
With the Panthers and Texans kicking off week three Thursday at NRG Stadium, it’s still a small sample size to tell a more comprehensive story.
But in these first two weeks, it’s clear the Panthers have a lot of speed with the ability to wreck plays up front.
Football Outsiders ranks the Panthers' defense at the top in DVOA, which measures efficiency.
"They're fast and they run to the ball," Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly said Tuesday. "At every level, they’ve got guys that can fly. Their two ends are as good of a speed rusher as we’ve seen. Obviously, we saw two good rushers last week, but they're totally different. Got really good athleticism, they can bend, they’ve got good counter moves to the inside."
The ends Kelly speaks of are Brian Burns and Morgan Fox. They recorded 10 combined pressures Sunday in their 26-7 against the New Orleans Saints. It’s worth noting Fox has been limited in practice this week with an ankle injury.
Edge rusher Haason Reddick led the Panthers with two sacks on both of his pressures Sunday against the Saints.
The Texans will also have to watch out for linebacker Shaq Thompson, who Kelly notes "runs all over the place and hits."
Safety Jeremy Chinn is also a threat as a blitzer.
"All of them play really, really hard," Kelly said. "You feel their team speed when you watch them play."
This is the challenge facing Houston’s offense in pass protection. The Texans offensive line held up well in this area Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, with Laremy Tunsil allowing just one pressure against Myles Garrett, according to Pro Football Focus.
Where the line has struggled is creating space in the run game.
Texans head coach David Culley attributed these issues to missed assignments that should get better over time.
Remember, Tytus Howard is adjusting to the switch from right tackle to left guard. Max Scharping made the switch from left guard to right guard. Right tackle Marcus Cannon did not play football last year and underwent knee surgery this offseason, limiting his reps in training camp.
They have a tall task in protecting rookie quarterback Davis Mills, who is starting Thursday in place of the injured Tyrod Taylor.
Kelly and Mills’ teammates have expressed confidence in him this week after the way he responded Sunday. It did not look great, but they are giving Mills credit for his poise and intellect.
"He's really smart, he comes to work every day, he studies, and he can make every throw that you want him to make," Kelly said. "So now it's going to be fun to see him go out there under the lights and go out there and perform at a high level."
What could help Mills a lot is a strong, efficient run game, which the Texans have not shown in the first two weeks of the season.
Only six teams have been less efficient running the ball than the Texans.
Houston ran for just 82 yards on 28 carries in the 31-21 loss to the Cleveland Browns. In their 37-21 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Texans ran for 160 yards on 41 attempts (3.9 yards per carry), but operated with a lead established early.
Brandon Scott manages digital content for SportsRadio 610. Follow him on Twitter @brandonkscott.
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