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DEFENSEPOSITION-BY-POSITIONCORNERBACKSThe Texans have one of the youngest starting cornerbackduos in the NFL this season with second-year manGlover Quin and rookie Kareem Jackson manning the twostarting positions. A fourth-round draft pick in 2009, Quinmoved into the starting lineup in Week 4 vs. Oakland (10/4)and started 12 games in 2009. He finished fourth on theteam with 64 tackles and had a team-high 11 passes defensedin his rookie campaign.The Texans selected Jackson in the first round with the20th overall selection following his junior season with 2009BCS National Champion Alabama. Jackson registered hisfirst career interception in Week 5 vs. the New York Giants,returning the pick 23 yards.Another rookie from a year ago, Brice McCain, a sixthrounddraft pick in 2009, played a vital role in the team’spass defense. McCain played in all 16 games with twostarts and had 11 solo tackles, three passes defensed andan interception.Antwaun Molden excelled on special teams as a rookiein 2008 but has seen each of his first two seasons cut shortby injury. Molden has played in 19 games and was selectedto USA Today’s All-Joe Team in 2008.The Texans also selected Northwestern University CBSherrick McManis in the fifth round of the draft. McManishas shined in limited playing time thus far this season,making his first career interception in Week 5 against theNew York Giants.Houston signed veteran corner Karl Paymah on Sept.29. Paymah has played in 73 games with seven starts andhas 74 career tackles, three interceptions and 14 passesdefensed.SAFETIESBernard Pollard joined the Texans as free agent in thethird week of 2009 and finished third on the team with acareer-high 102 tackles and tied for the team lead withfour interceptions to go along with 1.5 sacks. He notcheda career-high two interceptions in Week 9 at Indianapolis(11/8) and scored his second career touchdown in Week13 vs. Seattle (12/13) on a 70-yard interception returnfor touchdown. Pollard’s intense, fiery playing style hasrubbed off on his teammates, who elected him as a defensiveco-captain this year.Veteran FS Eugene Wilson fought through a knee injurysuffered in a 2009 preseason game for nine games beforebefore a foot injury ended his season prematurely. Wilsonfinished the season with 29 tackles and two interceptions.Troy Nolan, who was taken in the seventh round of the2009 draft by the Texans, missed his entire rookie seasondue to a broken arm suffered in the first preseason gameof last season. Nolan saw his first extended playing timein Week 4 at Oakland (10/3) and responded with two interceptionsand four tackles. He made his first career starta week later against the New York Giants and made acareer-high seven tackles.Second-year safety Dominique Barber took advantageof the opportunity when Wilson went down and started acareer-high four games before seeing his season cut onegame short due to a hamstring injury in 2009. Barber finishedthe year with 25 tackles, four passes defensed andone interception. He also scored his first career touchdownin the 2009 season opener on a 48-yard fumble returnfor touchdown. This season he’ll back up Pollard andwill be a vital part of the coverage units on special teams.CB Glover Quin (29) finished fourth on the team with 64tackles as a rookie in 2009.SS Bernard Pollard posted a career-best 102 tackles andtied for the team lead with four interceptions in 2009.34GAME 7 • TEXANS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS • HOUSTONTEXANS.COM