McClain: Texans making impressive improvement in points allowed and run defense
(SportsRadio 610) - In DeMeco Ryans first season as their head coach, the Texans' defense is undergoing a stunning metamorphosis.
Under Ryans and first-year defensive coordinator Matt Burke, the Texans' transformation has been amazing to witness and should be fascinating to watch over the last 10 games.
The Texans are 3-4 going into Sunday's game against Tampa Bay at NRG Stadium, and they're allowing 18.3 points a game, tied for the fifth fewest in the NFL.
At their current pace, the Texans' average points a game will be second in team history to 2011 when they surrendered 17.4. That was Wade Phillips' first season as defensive coordinator under coach Gary Kubiak, and defensive end J.J. Watt was their first-round pick. The Texans won their first AFC South title and playoff game.
What's shocking about the Texans' ability to keep opponents out of their end zone was their inability to do it over the last three seasons when they allowed 26.7 points a game. Reducing that statistic by 8.4 points a game starts with stopping the run.
Over the last three seasons, the Texans had the worst run defense in the NFL. They allowed 160.3 yards a game rushing (2020), 142.2 (2021) and 170.2 (2022).
With Ryans calling the defensive signals, the Texans have been exceptional against the run. From 32nd last season to 11th this season, the defense is allowing 99.3 yards a game on the ground. Opponents' average yards per carry last season was 5.1. This season, it's 3.6.
That improvement has been even more remarkable over the last five games. During that stretch in which they compiled a 3-2 record, including victories over Jacksonville, Pittsburgh and New Orleans by a combined score of 87-36, the Texans have given up 91.8 yards rushing and 3.4 a carry.
In their last three games, including losses to Atlanta and Carolina, the Texans have allowed 76.3 yards rushing, including 2.7 a carry.
The Texans began the season with losses to Baltimore and Indianapolis. Beginning with Indianapolis, the improvement against the run has been impressive – 126 yards (Colts), 116 (Jaguars), 114 (Steelers), 96 (Falcons), 89 (Saints) and 44 (Panthers).
If that trend continues, the Buccaneers will rush for fewer than 44. They'll come to Houston 30th in rushing, averaging 77.9 yards a game.
So how do we explain the mind-boggling improvement in points and rushing yards allowed? The defense hasn't been rebuilt under Ryans and Burke.
At Carolina, where the Texans suffered another defeat on a field goal with no time remaining, there were four starters who weren't on the defense in 2022: defensive end Will Anderson Jr., linebacker Henry To'oTo'o, cornerback Shaquill Griffin and safety Jimmie Ward.
The obvious answer is Ryans and his defensive staff. As the 49ers' defensive coordinator the last two seasons, Ryans did an outstanding job calling the signals. Now he's doing it again, and the players are carrying out the game plan despite injuries to key players.
When it comes to defense, Ryans' philosophy always begins with what he calls a physical mindset.
"It always starts with the attitude – a physical attitude," he said this week.
In other words, the kind of nasty disposition Ryans used to play with during his 10-year career with the Texans and Eagles.
Ryans' message and game plans have to be understood by the defensive players. They have to believe in the plan, and they must have the confidence to carry it out the way the coaches demand. The more they see positive results, the more they believe in what Ryans and his coaches are telling them.
"Structurally, we try to keep the ball inside," Ryans said about the run defense. "It starts with setting the edges, and then the inside guys have to be where they're supposed to be playing gap discipline."
Anderson, a rookie, and veteran Jonathan Greenard, who's coming off the best game of his career at Carolina, get more recognition as pass rushers, but they also play the run well. They're active and aggressive and understand they must have the discipline the coaches want to maintain their ground against the run.
"Jonathan and Will do a good job of setting the edges," Ryans said.
When it comes to stopping the run, Ryans said, "Attitude is everything. When you stuff the run enough, teams see they can't do this and that and have to rely more on passing the ball. If you play physical like we want to play, then you force teams to not even try to run the ball."
Tampa Bay plays with the same mentality under coach Todd Bowles, a longtime defensive coordinator. Like the Texans, the Bucs are 3-4. They're even better than the Texans at stopping the run, allowing 98.6 yards, good for 10th in the league.
As bad as the Texans have been at running the ball (91.9 yards), the Bucs are even worse (77.9). But that's not going to stop Ryans and Bowles from running it to try to set a physical tempo they hope will allow them to control the ball.
"You have to be tight in the run game," Ryans said. "When they've won games, they've run the ball well, so we know that'll be an emphasis for them. We have to do a good job in the run game."
Based on what we've seen from the run defense over the last five games, expect them to contain the run, force quarterback Baker Mayfield to throw and hope Greenard and the pass rushers can get after him the way they did the Panthers' Bryce Young, who was sacked six times and knocked down 10 more times.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on SportsRadio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio, also on SportsRadio 610. He writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.
