Anyone who has followed the Houston Texans’ 2022 campaign is well aware of the team’s outstanding rookie running back Dameon Pierce, who has taken the league by storm this year. His exceptional ability to keep his legs churning and hit even the smallest gap for serious yardage is a glimpse at the future of Texans football and has been an exciting development on an otherwise unexciting season.
With his 122 yards from scrimmage on Sunday against the New York Giants, Pierce put himself atop Houston’s all-time list for most games with 100 or more yards through the first nine games of a rookie season. Previously tied with Domanick Davis’ 2003 effort with five such games, Pierce was able to ground and pound his way to a sixth effort of this nature with his expert rushing skills and soft hands in the passing game.
For reference, former Texans receiver Will Fuller is tied for fourth place with Wali Lundy on the list with two games of 100 yards or more in their outstanding 2016 and 2006 campaigns respectively. While Lundy may not have been an all-time great Texan, Fuller was certainly an impact player for the team before they cut him loose in 2021, and was among the most impressive receivers in his draft class.
As Pierce continues to rack up stats at an unfathomable rate he is sure to continue finding his name atop more franchise rookie leaderboards before the 2022 season ends. The team’s abysmal 1-7-1 record has in no way been an indication of the running back’s effort in the failed season and serves as a reminder that even as a team implodes, there can still be marvelous performances taking place on a week-to-week basis.
The 2022 campaign may be a total loss for Houston at this point, but the valuable experience and accolades that Pierce has soaked up over the Texans’ first nine games will surely prove to be invaluable to his development into one of the NFL’s most capable and feared running backs.
