The Houston Texans are 1-10-1 and have stacked their third consecutive double-digit losing season. For the first time since 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars may end the season with a better record than the Texans.
With a reputation for being a chronic rebuild, great performances can be overlooked in Houston with the stench of losing stagnating over NRG Stadium.
However, coaches have to watch the game tape when preparing for the Texans, and the film revealed fascinating aspects to Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy about rookie running back Dameon Pierce.
“He’s dynamic and the way he breaks tackles,” McCarthy said. “I think the biggest thing for us not to fluff up the importance of what he means to him but just really the focus that we have. We know regardless of who they line up with people are going to come into AT&T [Stadium] and try to run the football. So, we need to stop the run.”
The Cowboys are tied for the ninth-most yards per carry surrendered in the NFL with 4.6. Similarly the Cowboys give up the ninth-most rushing yards per game at 129.8.
There is a vulnerability to be exploited, and the Green Bay Packers were the last to do so. Coincidentally they were also the last team to beat the Cowboys as they generated 207 rushing yards with a 5.3 yards per carry.
Since the Week 10 loss, McCarthy is pleased with the way the Cowboys have responded with their run defense.
“It’s a focus of ours,” McCarthy said. “I really liked the way we responded after the Green Bay game. That focus won’t go away. I think as long as we continue to line up, especially with our with our personnel and our scheme are. That’s going to be the point of focus, because that’s just the way everybody’s going to try to attack us.”
Pierce is tied with Jonathan Taylor for the eighth-most rushing yards in 2022 with 861.
Fun fact: #Texans RB Dameon Pierce has the second-most broken tackles in the NFL with 26.
— Mark Lane (@therealmarklane) December 8, 2022