EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsHOUSTON -- Coming into this season, there were high expectations for the Houston Texans' defense -- a unit coming off a dominant year.Houston added former Philadelphia Eagles starting safety Reed Blankenship in free agency and returned all of its key members after allowing the fewest yards per game (277.2) and the second-fewest points per game (17.4) last season.But the unit has woefully underperformed. It ranks 19th in points allowed (24.3) and has allowed 30 or more points in three of the Texans' seven games, which is already the second most in a season since coach DeMeco Ryans arrived in 2023.There was an offseason narrative surrounding quarterback C.J. Stroud that if he could give Houston just an average level of quarterback play, the Texans had a chance to win a Super Bowl behind that defense.Fast-forward to Week 8, and Stroud's play has soared well past average. He's fourth in passing yards (1,867), 10th in passer rating (100.7) and 13th in touchdowns (11).That's what makes the surprising regression from the defense more of a talking point. But Ryans doesn't believe Houston (2-5) needs an overhaul from a roster or schematic standpoint, feeling the biggest problem is execution; the Texans have the fifth-most missed tackles (70)."We have plenty of players, we have plenty of scheme," Ryans said. "We just have to execute. We have to execute a little bit better. If we execute a little bit better, the result can be different."The most jarring defensive issue is their pass defense -- featuring three Pro Bowlers in the secondary -- has regressed the most. Led by the cornerback duo of Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, Houston ranked fifth in passing yards allowed per game (179) and had 19 interceptions last season.This year, Houston ranks 27th in passing yards allowed (244 per game), with only three interceptions, while also giving up the highest explosive rate (19%) in the league.Opposing offenses have been able to gut the unit on first and second downs. Teams have a better grasp on Houston's coverages and rules within those calls on early downs -- which could explain defensive end Will Anderson Jr.'s comments about having to "play perfect.""Teams know us," said Anderson, who leads the NFL with 7.5 sacks. "You know what I'm saying? They know how we play. They know our style of play."On first and second downs, Houston goes zone 72% of the time, the 10th-highest rate in the league. But it is usually lining up in either Cover 3 (44.2%) or Cover 4 (21.6%), according to ESPN Research. And teams have attacked in various ways.The area where offenses have targeted them the most is the seams, leading to 706 yards (fifth most) on early downs with a passer rating of 110 and 995 passing yards (third most) overall when quarterbacks throw in that area.But general manager Nick Caserio also agrees that it still comes back to execution."We have enough scheme," Caserio said. "In the end, like, we don't have defensive calls where the calls are to let the receiver run open. If the defense calls for it to be pressed, to reroute the receiver at the line of scrimmage, and you don't reroute the receiver at the line of scrimmage, letting them go to the route, is that a scheme issue? Is that a player issue?"Ryans took over playcalling from defensive coordinator Matt Burke after the Texans' 0-4 start during which they allowed 27.3 points and 343.8 yards per game. But in the three matchups since, the results haven't changed drastically under Ryans.The scoring allowed dropped to 21 points per game, but one of those matchups included the struggling Tennessee Titans, who average the second-lowest points (15.4), in Week 5. Houston held the Titans to three points to claim its first win of the season, but as safety Calen Bullock acknowledged, "It was Tennessee. No offense [to them, but] we're supposed to do that."Bullock added the following matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars was the "real test." But quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns despite Houston getting the 34-31 win.And after its two-game win streak, Houston lost 27-21 in overtime to the New York Giants, allowing J.J. McCarthy to throw for a career-high 252 yards in his first start of the season. So instead of heading into their Week 8 bye on a high note, the Texans are back to the drawing board.The loss summarized the season: It marked the fourth time that the defense allowed a game-winning drive in the closing minutes."It's not a good feeling, it's not a good position to be in," Anderson said. "We keep talking about the same things over and over."
