HOUSTON TEXANS WEEKLY RELEASE - Texans Home - NFL.com

DEFENSE NOTESGAME AGAINST THE RUNHouston has been stout against the run in its first sixgames this season. With more than a third of the regularseason complete, the Texans are allowing 104.3 yards pergame.A longer look back shows that the Texans rush defensehas been playing well for quite some time. Since Week4 of the 2009 season, the Texans defense has been theleague’s third-toughest against the run, giving up just 90.6yards per game on the ground.RUSH YARDS PER GAME ALLOWED SINCE WEEK 4, 2009Team Gms. Att. Yds. YPC YPGPittsburgh Steelers 19 448 1590 3.5 83.7Minnesota Vikings 19 433 1713 4.0 90.2Houston Texans 19 446 1722 3.9 90.6Green Bay Packers 20 460 1817 4.0 90.9Dallas Cowboys 19 448 1808 4.0 95.2Seattle Seahawks 19 493 1823 3.7 95.9New York Jets 19 512 1870 3.7 98.4Atlanta Falcons 20 509 1974 3.9 98.7New York Giants 20 536 2007 3.7 100.4San Diego Chargers 20 499 2057 4.1 102.9PRESSURE POINTSThe Texans defense was nearly held without a sack inthe Week 6 win over Kansas City (10/17) before picking upa vital one on the game’s final play. Sacks have become afairly good indicator of success for the Texans under headcoach Gary Kubiak.Since Kubiak took over in 2006, the Texans are 25-14when recording at least two sacks in a game and are 13-4in games with three or more. By contrast, the Texans are7-13 when registering one sack and are 3-8 when heldwithout a sack.Houston has recorded at least two sacks in three of itsfour victories this year. In both losses, the Texans failedto register a sack.HOUSTON TEXANS RECORDBY NUMBER OF SACKS, 2006-10Sacks Record Last Time Score3 or more 13-4 @ OAK, 10/3/10 W, 31-242 or more 25-14 IND, 9/12/10 W, 34-241 7-13 KC, 10/17/10 W, 35-310 3-8 NYG, 10/10/10 L, 10-34NOTHING TO GAINThrough the first five games of the season, Houston’srushing defense has been solid. While teams have not runthe ball very often against the Texans, their running backshave been met with stiff opposition nearly every time.Houston’s strong play against the run continues a trendthat began in Week 4 of the 2009 season. Since that point,the Texans defense is tied for seventh in the NFL in yardsper carry allowed, giving up a paltry 3.9 yards per carry.LOWEST YARDS PER CARRY ALLOWEDSINCE WEEK 4, 2009Team G Att. Yds. YPC YPGPittsburgh Steelers 19 448 1,590 3.5 83.7New York Jets 19 512 1,870 3.7 98.4Seattle Seahawks 19 493 1,823 3.7 95.9San Francisco 49ers 20 565 2,095 3.7 104.8New York Giants 20 536 2,007 3.7 100.4Baltimore Ravens 20 556 2,104 3.8 105.2Houston Texans 19 446 1,722 3.9 90.6Atlanta Falcons 20 509 1,974 3.9 98.7Green Bay Packers 20 460 1,817 4.0 90.9Minnesota Vikings 19 433 1,713 4.0 90.2ROOKIES GETTING PICKYTwo of the bright spots in last Sunday’s loss to the NewYork Giants were interceptions by rookie cornerbacks KareemJackson and Sherrick McManis. Each young cornerpicked off the first pass of his career.After going without an interception in the season’s firstfour games, the pair nabbed their first career picks withina span of four defensive snaps in the third quarter.It marked only the second time in Texans history thattwo rookies each intercepted a pass in the same game.TWO ROOKIES WITH INTERCEPTIONS IN A GAME,HOUSTON TEXANS HISTORYGame, Date Player Pos INT YdsNYG, 10/10/10 Sherrick McManis CB 1 1NYG, 10/10/10 Kareem Jackson CB 1 23IND, 11/29/09 Brian Cushing LB 1 20IND, 11/29/09 Brice McCain CB 1 038GAME 7 • TEXANS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS • HOUSTONTEXANS.COM