HOUSTON TEXANS WEEKLY RELEASE - NFL.com

DEFENSE
POSITION-BY-POSITION
CORNERBACKS
The Texans have one of the youngest starting cornerback
duos in the NFL this season with second-year man
Glover Quin and rookie Kareem Jackson manning the two
starting positions.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2009, Quin is third on the team
with 59 tackles and has a team-high 11 passes defensed
in his sophomore campaign. Quin picked off the first three
passes of his career in Week 12 vs. Tennessee (11/28)
The Texans selected Jackson in the first round with the
20th overall selection following his junior season with 2009
BCS National Champion Alabama. Jackson is tied for second
on the team with two interceptions on the season.
Houston claimed veteran corner Jason Allen on November
11 off waivers to bolster the secondary. Allen has
played in 72 games with 19 starts in five years, all with the
Miami Dolphins until joining the Texans. He has eight career
interceptions, including three this season.
Another rookie from a year ago, Brice McCain, a sixthround
draft pick in 2009, played a vital role in the team’s
pass defense. He moved into the nickel cornerback role
in his second year and has registered 22 tackles and two
passes defensed in 10 games.
The Texans also selected Northwestern University CB
Sherrick McManis in the fifth round of the draft. McManis
has shined in limited playing time thus far this season,
making his first career interception in Week 5 against the
New York Giants.
Antwaun Molden excelled on special teams as a rookie
in 2008 but has seen each of his first two seasons cut short
by injury. Molden has played in 26 games and was selected
to USA Today’s All-Joe Team in 2008.
SAFETIES
Bernard Pollard joined the Texans as a free agent in the
third week of 2009 and finished third on the team with a
career-high 102 tackles and tied for the team lead with
four interceptions to go along with 1.5 sacks. Pollard’s intense,
fiery playing style has rubbed off on his teammates,
who elected him as a defensive co-captain this year. He
leads the team with 85 tackles through 11 games this season.
Veteran FS Eugene Wilson fought through a knee injury
suffered in a 2009 preseason game for nine games before
before a foot injury ended his season prematurely. Wilson
has recorded 43 tackles and three passes defensed this
season.
Troy Nolan, who was taken in the seventh round of the
2009 draft by the Texans, missed his entire rookie season
due to a broken arm suffered in the first preseason game
of last season. Nolan saw his first extended playing time
in Week 4 at Oakland (10/3) and responded with two interceptions
and four tackles. He made his first career start a
week later against the New York Giants (10/10) and made
a career-high seven tackles.
After placing second-year safety Dominique Barber on
injured reserve in Week 10, Houston signed rookie Torri
Williams from the practice squad to provide depth on the
back end. Williams was a two-time All-Big 10 selection at
Purdue and led the Boilermakers in tackles in 2009.
CB Glover Quin had a franchise-record three interceptions
in Week 12 vs. Tennessee.
SS Bernard Pollard leads the team with 85 tackles
through 11 games this season.
33
GAME 12 • TEXANS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES • HOUSTONTEXANS.COM