Defensive end Charles Omenihu may only be a rookie, but that doesn’t mean the fifth-round pick from Texas doesn’t study film and pick up tricks on his upcoming opponent.
During the second quarter of the Houston Texans’ 31-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, with 39 seconds to go until halftime, Omenihu broke through the offensive line and sacked quarterback Patrick Mahomes, forcing a fumble, which inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney recovered, and gave the Texans’ first-and-goal from the 3-yard line.
Omenihu knew what the play was going to be thanks to studying the Chiefs.
“I knew their line movements,” Omenihu said after the game. “I knew their slide and knew what it was going to be. When they said a certain word, I knew I was going to be rushing one-on-one with the center. So, I knew I had a chance to convert, but I was playing run the whole time.
“So, I extended out and when I felt it was soft, I flipped my head up support and pulled my hips in and started running. I saw the quarterback. I knew the short distance to get to him. And just happened to make that play.”
While Omenihu made a great play on Mahomes, one that shifted the momentum of the game and gave the Texans a chance to take their first lead of the game before the break, the former Texas Longhorn gives credit to his teammates in the secondary.
“As a pass rusher, you definitely want [the quarterback] to hold on to the ball longer,” Omenihu said. “But then he did, and that’s a credit to our DBs.”
The rookie has 2.0 sacks on the season and two forced fumbles. The Rowlett Texas High School alumnus has been a nice addition for a defensive line that thought it would be a in a world of hurt without edge defender Jadeveon Clowney.
