Perhaps no cornerback in the NFL is playing at the level of New England Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore — who the Houston Texans will see on Sunday.
Gilmore, 29, was a first-team All-Pro in 2018. In the following year, he is well on his way to making it back. The 6-1, 202-pound cornerback is playing at the highest level of his career. Pre-Week 12, he allowed a 40.6 passer rating in coverage, per Pro Football Reference.
“He’s got really good size, length, speed. Very smart. He’s been playing for a long time,” said Texans coach Bill O’Brien while talking about Gilmore on Monday. “Very instinctive, good ball skills, does a good job of being patient. He’s patient, he never panics, he’s got a lot of confidence in himself.”
In Week 12, Gilmore shadowed Dallas Cowboys’ Amari Cooper. The result: two targets, no receptions and an interception for the corner. The Patriots won. In Week 13, he will face a new challenge in the Texans’ DeAndre Hopkins.
Hopkins has 81 receptions for 839 yards and six touchdowns on the year. He is coming off of a game in which he hauled in six receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Hopkins has never scored a touchdown against the Patriots. Versus New England with Gilmore, he has caught a total of 15 passes for 154 yards split between two games.
While Hopkins has not found the end zone against Gilmore’s Patriots, time has passed since their last matchup. The wide-out, dubbed “Nuk,” has developed chemistry with quarterback Deshaun Watson. His game has improved from contested catches to physically imposing with boxing-type releases, fluid route-running and refined footwork.
By all means, Hopkins vs. Gilmore is slated to be the premier wide receiver vs. cornerback matchup of the 2019 season. No. 10 vs. No. 24 will keep spectators glued to their screens.
“It’ll be a good battle,” said O’Brien.
The 7-4 Texans will host the 10-1 Patriots at NRG Stadium at 7:20 p.m. CT.