The Houston Texans defense has given up 727 rushing yards through the first four games, averaging 181.8, the absolute worst in the NFL.
When an offense is able to hand off the ball and pick up 4.9 yards — the Texans’ yards per carry surrendered — at will, it is an attack on the defense’s pride.
“It definitely is going to attack your pride because you take so much pride in your work, how much you work, how many hours you put into this game and all that,” outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus said. “Especially to give up a ton of X-plays, whether it be pass or run. It doesn’t show the type of defense that we have been in years past. Pretty much we’ve got to take the lick.”
The Texans are facing another formidable rushing attack in the Jacksonville Jaguars, who visit Houston for Week 5 Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium to kickoff the Texans’ six-game AFC South slate. The Jaguars have churned 417 rushing yards through the first four games, the 12th-lowest in the league, but undrafted rookie running back James Robinson has collected 285 of those yards, the eighth-most in the NFL.
Houston can’t get obsessed with what was; they have to quickly prepare for what will be when the Jaguars come to town.
Said Mercilus: “What’s done is done and we can just move forward and work harder, more consistent in our techniques, in this defense as well to understand the concepts and things of that nature, trust each other even more to overcome that.”
Mercilus, a former 2012 first-round pick from Illinois, had his best game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings in the Texans’ 31-23 loss last week. The 30-year-old provided 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and four combined tackles. Houston will need a similar performance, complemented by a great game on the edge stopping the run.
