Tag: derek stingley

TeX’s and O’s: Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry is Houston’s dream draft trade

If the Houston Texans were to make a trade back into the first round, Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry might be the asking price.

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio put it bluntly when asked about the roster heading into Thursday’s NFL draft.

“We feel as we sit here today if we had to go out there and play a game, we would be able to put a team out there and not have to rely on the draft necessarily to add player,” the veteran GM said last week.

For a team as talented as the Texans, the draft is a boost, but not necessarily a need when it comes to adding talent. The former became especially evident after Caserio decided to ship Houston’s first-round pick (No. 23) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for two second-round selections, including pick No. 42.

After hitting on prospects in consecutive drafts, along with adding a star-studded cast in free agency this offseason, the Texans feel unlikely to find a high-level, immediate contributor in the draft beginning Thursday night. Unless, of course, Caserio can’t help himself and trades up. He even mentioned the possibility at that same press conference,

“We have nine picks, as of Thursday night,” Caserio said. “We’ll see if that changes or stays static. Given our history, it will probably change at some point”

The Texans have aggressively traded up in the past two seasons for coveted prospects, including Will Anderson Jr., Tank Dell, Juice Scruggs, and Christian Harris. If Caserio wants to continue his annual draft tradition and ensure that Houston has an opportunity to find that immediate contributor for a Super Bowl run, he had to know now which player is worth the price.

University of Alabama cornerback Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry feels like the safest bet for that title.

McKinstry, a 5-star recruit out of high school, started three years for the Crimson Tide under legendary head coach Nick Saban. This past season, the junior totaled 32 total tackles and seven passes defended. The year prior, he finished with  35 tackles and an SEC-leading 15 pass breakups.

McKinstry was solid, if unspectacular, at the NFL combine with a 4.47 40-yard dash and an overall “Relative Athletic Score” of 7.55 at his position. Along with a slight dip in production, plus an uncompelling athletic profile, McKinstry’s draft status remains uncertain behind prospects like Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell and Alabama teammate Terrion Arnold.

If he were to suffer a draft day slide, the film suggests that Caserio should not hesitate to pull the trigger and move up to select the Alabama defender.

To begin, McKinstry is as good as it gets in the class in man coverage. He’s excellent in press at using his hands to disrupt receivers’ routes and he has the requisite speed to keep pace with nearly any player on the field.

Texas receiver Xavier Worthy may have broken the NFL combine’s 40-yard dash record at 4.21 seconds, but he could run away from McKinstry after a muddied release.

McKinstry’s athletic profile and hand usage are even further complimented by his awareness. His ability to read the quarterback not only allows him to make plays on the football but also transition downfield as needed. He is an exceptionally high-IQ football player with a great awareness and understanding of what is happening on the field.

This played out how one could only imagine within the season. Last fall, McKinstry logged 122 coverage snaps that qualified as man coverage and allowed just three receptions.

Although better at man coverage, McKinstry’s awareness and overall athleticism translate to adequate play when asked to line up in zone formations. He’s able to punish opposing quarterbacks by telegraphing their decisions and has exceptional closing speed against receivers in space.

In the play above, McKinstry shows how quickly can maneuver within his assignment to close the gap against receivers. It also shows his attentiveness to monitoring the running back after Worthy is motioned away from the line.

Against the run, McKinstry could help with the “SWARM.” He’s a willing tackler and capable of bringing down more physical backs in space when tasked to do so.

This play below against Michigan’s Blake Corum is exemplary of what McKinstry’s play style against the run.

There’s no such thing as a perfect player, and McKinstry comes with his flaws.

In Week 2’s loss against Texas, there were multiple high points and a slew of low moments. Against Worth, McKinstry looked exceptional.

Against fellow Longhorns draft prospect Adonai Mitchell, there was much to be desired. He’s notably a different player when tasked to play man coverage or press compared to off-ball zone schemes.

Teams must be patient if asked to translate over to the latter in most designs, though he should be an upgrade in man formations.

While his willingness has been praised by coaches and teammates, McKinstry’s run defense is a default setting and often plays more like a safety net. He’s content watching runs play out from afar, only willing to lay into the runner as the last line of defense.

That’s not necessarily negative. Corners are often regarded for their coverage ability, and McKinstry shines there. Fans, however, shouldn’t expect to see him make plays against screens or highlight tackles like Arnold or Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil.

These concerns, notably, would factor well into the Texans’ current infrastructure.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans seems to be signaling the team will play more man coverage this year, as evidenced by the signings of free agent cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson. It’s even more believable when considering the emergence of Derek Stingley Jr. as a lock-down, traveling cornerback last year.

McKinstry could ideally slide to a man-heavy scheme and thrive. Having another cornerback who stands out when asked to play in man coverage would allow Houston to lean fully into Stingley’s traveling persona.

It also would cover up some deficiencies that plagued the roster at times from the linebacker spot.

Houston doesn’t necessarily need McKinstry to be an elite tackler flying downhill against the run. They have a strong defensive that can control the gaps, thus opening up lanes for linebackers Christian Harris and Azeez Al-Shaair.

Trusting McKinstry as a last resort seems manageable after three seasons in the SEC. And should Stingley miss a game or two, McKinstry should keep the secondary afloat in coverage.

McKinstry’s regarded as a Day 1 prospect, so it would likely have to take a draft day tumble for him to land in a Battle Red or new H-Town Blue uniform next season. Even then, Caserio would have to be willing to part ways with draft compensation to move up for his services.

If there’s any prospect Houston should be willing to compromise for, McKinstry checks every box. Now, he just has to check the range.

15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023: No. 6 Derek Stingley

Up next in our “15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023” series is Derek Stingley, who’s coming off a breakout season.

The Houston Texans had an extremely successful 2023 campaign.

They cruised to a 10-7 record under new head coach DeMeco Ryans and captured several accolades along the way. They won the AFC South and won a playoff game for the first time since the 2019 season. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud won PFWA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, rookie edge rusher Will Anderson won PFWA’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, and even Ryans took home hardware with PFWA’s Coach of the Year.

With a revamped team effort that led to dramatic improvements compared to both the 2021 and 2022 Texans, it’s worth examining who created that impact this past season and what their future projects moving forward.

This series has taken a look at defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, running back Devin Singletary, rookie receiver Tank Dell, and veteran tackle George Fant, and upstart linebacker Blake Cashman.

Entering the top 10, we took a closer look at cornerback Steven Nelson and linebacker Christian Harris, and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, and franchise left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

Before entering the top-5, cornerback Derek Stingley makes an appearance after a breakout 2023 campaign.

How the Texans can attack projected MVP Lamar Jackson

The Texans will face the difficult task of defending MVP candidate Lamar Jackson. Here’s how they can limit him.

There’s no such thing as an easy NFL divisional playoff game.

Anytime a team makes it to this point in the season, with the best remaining eight squads, everyone is solid. The Houston Texans have known this all too well. This is just the fifth time in franchise history they’ve advanced to the AFC divisional round, and they’ve never made it to the conference championship game, suffering losses to the New England Patriots (2012 and 2016 seasons), Kansas City Chiefs (2019) and Baltimore Ravens (2011).

This one shapes up to be particularly challenging as, for all the greatness of their own quarterback in rookie C.J. Stroud, they’ll face projected league MVP Lamar Jackson.

Jackson, the winner of the 2019 NFL MVP award and this year’s anticipated winner, has surged under first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken. He threw for 3,678 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in the regular season while rushing for 821 yards and five touchdowns. His revamped offense, with receivers Zay Flowers, Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman, was one of the most dynamic in the league. With a top-tier defense as well, the Ravens cruised to a 13-4 record.

That included a decisive 25-9 victory over the Texans in Week 1. Houston’s defense did their job, allowing Jackson only 169 passing yards and forcing an interception, but their offensive deficiencies couldn’t be overcome. Since then, Baltimore’s offense certainly has improved, and so has Houston’s defense, which has jelled under head coach DeMeco Ryans.

How can the Texans repeat their Week 1 performance against Jackson? It likely starts up front.

Houston had 16 quarterback pressures and four sacks in Week 1. Defensive coordinator Matt Burke spoke on Wednesday about how everything starts with the discipline and effectiveness of the defensive line.

“It’s going to be sort of like we’ve preached all year, but even at a heightened level of rushing as a unit. We can’t have independent contractors out there. It’s definitely going to be about guys staying in their rush areas,” Burke said of his unit needing to work cohesively. “If you get out of your area and out of your lane, and kind of where we’re trying to put it all together, if you get out, then he’s going to make you pay. So, I would probably say just from a discipline – a rush-discipline level – this is the ultimate [challenge] this week, for sure.”

Will Anderson and Jonathan Greenard, despite fighting injuries this week, will need to be at their best in this game. Their ability to generate pressure one-on-one and be used creatively on stunts generates an enormous amount of stress on the offensive line when paired with defensive tackles Sheldon Rankins and Maliek Collins. Jackson can fry any defense if he’s given too much time, whether with his legs or his arm.

Another way to generate pressure is to give the defensive line more time, or simply cover up passing outlets. Houston’s defensive back group is coming off one of their best performances of the season against Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco.

Burke had more to say on the coverage component of covering Baltimore.

“Part of that preaching, even in coverage, there’s no clock on the coverage,” he said. “It’s – you have to defend the second play. We had him a couple of times where we kind of felt like we had him in the grass, and then he breaks out, and then he makes a play downfield. Hopefully not for that many yards, but it is a mental battle too, of like, we’ve got to keep coming, we’ve got to keep coming.”

Burke further discussed the tough task of stopping Jackson.

“You’ve got to throw waves at them,” he said. “He’s going to make some plays, right? There’s a reason he’s in the MVP conversation. He’s had a great season and he’s a great player, so we understand that there’s going to be plays that are made out there. It’s definitely going to be part of our mindset of, ‘Hey, next play – back up.’ We have a plan of how we want to approach it and we’ve got to stick with it.”

Don’t be surprised to see more varied coverage looks against the Ravens and further utilization of the special, emerging talent that is second-year cornerback Derek Stingley. Stingley shut down Amari Cooper last week and will likely see a heavy load of Baltimore leading receiver Zay Flowers, the only player to gather over 100 targets from Jackson this season. It could be difficult with Flowers’ usage in the slot, but nevertheless it won’t be a surprise if the Texans try to get Stingley on him.

Like last week, cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Desmond King will be tasked to cover secondary playmakers. Beckham is one of the better No. 2 receivers in the league but won’t represent an overwhelming physical matchup for Nelson, whose outstanding year culminated in a pick-six last week.

Linebackers Christian Harris and Blake Cashman will have to work in tandem with the safety group to stall former All-Pro Mark Andrews, if he’s able to suit up for the game. As with the Browns’ David Njoku last week, this may be an area of the field they’re happy to force Jackson to work toward.

All together, stout coverage on the back end with a good performance from the pass rushers should be enough to get consistent pressure on Jackson and hopefully sacks. However, pressure isn’t enough. Jackson was the league’s best passer against pressure this season.

How do you bring down a quarterback so elusive? Additional help never hurts.

Ryans has rarely blitzed six or more this season, but when he has, it’s been effective. The Texans have the second-highest pressure rate on opposing quarterbacks and have the fifth-best passer rating allowed in the NFL at 69.7. It’s resulted in two interceptions and just two touchdowns allowed despite a relatively low success rate (21st).

The last time they played against Baltimore, Houston wasn’t afraid to send the house at Jackson. They blitzed him five times, one of just four games this season at that volume, and forced a turnover.

Jackson goes from the league’s best passer, or at least a top passer, to extremely average against heavy blitz looks. He ranked 29th of 42 eligible passers in EPA/db and 36th in passer rating against such blitzes this year. The man coverages looks that they come with, and relative overloading of defensive bodies, also mean that it’s difficult for Jackson to use his legs.

Jackson’s EPA/db significantly decreases when forced to play against man coverage, likely for this very reason. He’s scrambled on only 10.5% of man dropbacks compared to 14.5% when facing zone. In this way, Ryans could gamble against Jackson as a pure drop-back passer in the right situations and eliminate the chaotic element of his running.

It won’t be an every-down flavor for Houston. The Texans like to rush four, and that’s their philosophy. However, expect them to dial up five to 10 plays where they work to heat up Jackson and force the kind of high-variance decision-making that can swing plays.

If everyone can play their assignments on downs and Ryans dials up his magic at just the right time, Houston may be able to slow Jackson.

DeMeco Ryans showcases defensive evolution with Derek Stingley

DeMeco Ryans and his Texans defense took a decisive step forward in a dominant wild-card win vs. Browns.

The Houston Texans put the league on notice Saturday.

They blew out the red-hot Cleveland Browns, 45-14, in the AFC wild card round in a performance where they dominated in every phase of the game. Against an opponent that had beat them by multiple touchdowns on Christmas Eve, Houston seemingly had all the answers and adjustments needed on Saturday.

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud dazzled with 274 passing yards and three touchdowns. The youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a playoff game will certainly carry most of the attention moving forward in Texans coverage. However, he wasn’t the biggest takeaway from the contest.

It was head coach DeMeco Ryans and his defense taking a decisive step forward.

Ryans came to Houston after winning the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award with the San Francisco 49ers. A fantastic former player, he was considered one of the best defensive minds in the sport and someone who could relate well to players. It wasn’t just that San Francisco had talented defenders, they had all somehow taken a leap forward playing under Ryans after the departure of Robert Saleh to be the head coach of the New York Jets.

One of the biggest transformations under Ryans in San Francisco was the emergence of Fred Warner as the league’s most valuable middle linebacker. He not only was a suffocating force in run support, but his versatility in coverage allowed the 49ers to scheme up impossible blitzes and bizarre coverage combinations to confuse quarterbacks.

Ryans recognized where on his roster he had 0.1% percentile talent and capitalized on that portion of the equation. Against the Browns, he took his first step towards deploying cornerback Derek Stingley with the same emphasis.

Stingley has had a breakout season in 2023. He had 39 total tackles, 13 passes defended and five interceptions across 11 games and ended the season on a strong note, where he was awarded AFC Defensive Player of the Month for December/January. To this point, Ryans had not necessarily highlighted his talent in the same way he praised him at the podium.

Houston’s defensive scheme had largely relied on cornerbacks playing “sides,” where one player is predominantly the right corner and the other plays the left. This allows players, especially the less talented corners he’d worked with San Francisco, to better practice using the sideline as an additional defender to assist. Arriving in Houston, this had stayed consistent with Steven Nelson playing 98% of his snaps at the right cornerback and Derek Stingley playing 98% of his snaps at the left cornerback.

It’s possible that Ryans recognized they needed to change after wide receiver Amari Cooper torched them for multiple touchdowns and over 200 yards during the first contest. It’s also possible they’d been waiting for a playoff situation to unveil their new wrinkle. Regardless, it finally happened on Saturday.

Stingley traveled with Amari Cooper all night — and it wasn’t a pleasant experience for the Browns’ offense.

Stingley traveled with Cooper on 83.3% of his snaps for the entire contest. Cooper was targeted just once and had no catches on all of those attempts. He averaged a mere 0.7 yards of separation against Stingley on those routes. The downstream effects were extremely disruptive.

Other receivers truly struggled to separate, especially into the second half. Joe Flacco was forced to progress from his first read to second and checkdown options. It got the defense off the field when they threw short and, most importantly, allowed the defensive line to be disruptive when he held on too long.

Houston’s defensive line group had 25 total pressures, including seven from Will Anderson Jr. and six from Derek Barnett. It led to 4.0 sacks and one directly led to a pick-six when Flacco was hit late as he launched a ball right into the hands of a waiting Steven Nelson.

Forced to work to more secondary options, another pick-six came on the next drive as he fired to the tight end without processing a waiting linebacker in Christian Harris. Cleveland’s entire offensive rhythm was disrupted without Cooper as the focal point of the offense and ample bodies to work on David Njoku.

It’s a terrifying development for the remaining AFC playoff field. Houston’s defense has a new trick to both enhance the quality of their pass coverage and also to make their defensive line more effective. This comes at a time when both Anderson and Jonathan Greenard are getting healthier and healthier.

Kansas City and Baltimore will both have more dynamic pass catching options. However, their confidence will certainly be decreased from how they may have felt a week ago.

The path of Ryans’ defense and how he continues to use his elite players like Stingley and Anderson is transforming. It will certainly yield a monster in the future, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be terrifying now in the present.

4 ways the Texans can limit Browns’ Joe Flacco and Amari Cooper

The Texans and Browns have a rematch, but things will be different this time around. Here’s how Houston can limit Cleveland:

The Houston Texans have a rematch in the postseason!

After winning the AFC South last weekend, they’ve secured a home playoff matchup against the Cleveland Browns (Saturday, 3:30 p.m CT). The two played as recently as Christmas Eve, during which the Browns absolutely battered the Texans, without C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson, Blake Cashman and others, in a 36-22 Week 16 victory.

The initial matchup leaves some interesting questions for Houston on defense. They can expect their offensive output to improve dramatically with Stroud back under center, but they’ll have to play better to stop a Cleveland offense who had 418 total yards during the game.

Quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 368 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while wide receiver Amari Cooper had the best day of his career with 11 receptions for 265 yards and two scores.

There are certainly changes from the last time they played and ones that should give Houston fans optimism things will be different. Here are four of those developments that may play a huge role:

5 statistical takeaways from Texans’ Week 18 victory

Here are five reasons why the Houston Texans took down the Indianapolis Colts to secure a playoff spot Saturday.

The Houston Texans secured their spot in the playoffs in a pivotal victory Saturday night 23-19 over the Indianapolis Colts. Later, they won the AFC South when the Jacksonville Jaguars fell on the road to the division rival Tennessee Titans.

As such, it’s created one of the best stories in the NFL. After winning just seven games the past two seasons combined, head coach DeMeco Ryans has won 10 games and gifted the city where he once played their first playoff game (and home playoff game) since 2019. They’ll get a rematch with the Cleveland Browns, who easily dismantled Houston without C.J. Stroud in Week 16.

Even as the team turns its focus towards the playoffs, there are still some important takeaways from the team’s gutsy performance over the Colts in what was essentially a playoff game. Here are five takeaways looking at the advanced metrics from Saturday’s huge victory.

4 takeaways from Texans’ 19-16 win over Titans

Here’s what we learned from the Texans’ much-needed win over the Titans on Sunday

The Houston Texans saved their season on Sunday with a gutsy 19-16 win on the road against the Tennessee Titans. The win came despite the absence of C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, George Fant and Will Anderson in what was a statement victory for the coaching staff and the rest of the roster as they rallied around backup quarterback Case Keenum.

Houston now sits at a solid 8-6, far surpassing any pre-season expectations, and control their own destiny with the AFC playoffs within play. Even without some of their stars, Tennessee offered valuable lessons moving forward about how the Texans will have to finish out against the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, and a Tennessee rematch.

Here are four of the biggest takeaways.

Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr. named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

For the second time this season, a Texans player has earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

For the second time this season, a Houston Texans player has earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was honored for his Week 13 performance with two interceptions and four passes defended in the Texans’ 22-17 win over the Denver Broncos this past Sunday.

He joins fellow teammate linebacker Blake Cashman (Week 6) as the other award recipient. Stingley became the only player in the NFL to record four interceptions over a three-game stretch in 2023 and just the third player this season to record an interception in three consecutive games.

“He’s special, man,” said Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud about Stingley after the game against Denver. “That’s one thing about ‘Sting.’ He’s special, and he’s kicked a new gear on since that week he went down after Indy going to Jacksonville. But, to see him catch that groove again and see him work like he does, I’m just proud of that dude.

“I went to him the locker room, ‘Man, I’m proud of you, bro. No matter what is going on, no matter who has something to say, it doesn’t matter. You are who you are. You’re here in this position because God chose you.’ I’m proud of that dude. He’s going to continue to be great. When you have a corner that can lock down one side, it makes everybody else’s job a lot easier. Proud of that dude, and I know he’s going to keep it going, so I’m proud of him.”

This marks the first time the third overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of LSU has earned such an honor. In his six starts this season, he has four interceptions, eight passes defended, and has recorded 21 tackles (16 solo).

The honor marks the 55th time a Texan has been named Player of the Week and the 20th time a defensive player has won the award. This also marks the fourth time a Houston Texan has been named Player of the Week this season and the first time since 2018 that the team has claimed multiple honors on the defensive side of the ball.

Texans defense made huge statement in win vs. Broncos

The Texans’ defense played an integral role in the team’s impressive win over the Broncos.

HOUSTON – – This time, the feelings differed for the Houston Texans defense. One week prior, they watched their division rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars, celebrate a 24-21 victory on their home field and put a damper on the Texans’ playoff hopes. The Jags orchestrated 445 yards on offense and used several explosive plays to keep the defense second-guessing in coverage.

With the Denver Broncos heading into town, the Texans’ defense knew they would try to repeat what Jacksonville had done one week prior. Still, that plan failed as Houston held Denver to 282 total yards on offense and stopped their five-game winning streak with a tough 22-17 win to improve to 7-5 on the season, which equals the combined amount of wins the team had the last two seasons.

Houston recorded 3.0 sacks and three interceptions, marking the first time the team has accomplished this since Dec. 2019 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also didn’t allow the Broncos to convert on third downs (0-for-11), marking the third time in franchise history the Texans’ defense has held a team to zero third-down conversions.

“This is our brand of football,” said Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans. “Our guys are a resilient group, a resilient group of men who show up every single week. They put the work in every week, and they show up on Sundays, and they execute, and they play for each other. That’s all I ask for, and our guys continue to get better.”

Getting better is what rookie edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. has been doing all season. The third overall selection in this year’s NFL draft has put together a solid rookie campaign that will have his name in the running when it is time to vote for Rookie Defensive Player of the Year. He made his presence felt early and often Sunday by making life difficult in the pocket for Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson.

The former two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year finished the game with career-highs in quarterback pressures (8) and sacks (2). Anderson also caused havoc on special teams with his pressure on the punter and used his athletic ability to tip a pass that landed in the hands of teammate Derek Stingley Jr.

“It has been a relentless grind the whole season,” Anderson said during his postgame press conference. “It has been up and down, and finding that momentum at getting better at rushing, I think that has been the most exciting thing.”

One reason Anderson and the rest of the defensive linemen were able to harass Wilson for the entire game was due to the defensive backfield of Derek Stingley Jr., Steven Nelson, Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward all playing together for the first time this season. They limited the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback to 186 yards passing, in which 45 of those yards came on one completion to wide receiver Courtland Sutton.

Houston’s defensive backs were also able to do something that opposing defenses had not done to Wilson in five games: force interceptions. He had three on the day, two by Stingley, who has been playing some of his best football since he returned from a hamstring injury that kept him out of action for six games. Since his return, Stingley has had four interceptions in three consecutive games, a Texans franchise record.

“It is a good feeling to do what I have been doing, but that is only because we are communicating on the backend,” Stingley told reporters.

Stingley’s second interception even impressed Wilson, who thought he could hit an open wide receiver running in the middle of the field.

“I took a shot down the field to ‘Court’ [Sutton], thought we had him, honestly, and he made a heck of a play,” said Wilson to the media. “I don’t know how he made that play, to be honest with you.”

The victory over the Broncos helps the Texans in the standings as they are currently in the hunt for an AFC Wild Card playoff spot with five games remaining in the regular season.

WATCH: Texans CB Derek Stingley intercepts Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence

Houston Texans CB Derek Stingley picked off Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence in Week 12.

It may have been a missed penalty, but the Houston faithful won’t care.

In his third game back from injury, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. gathered his second interception of the season and his second career pick of Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence. It was his second consecutive interception after also picking off Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray during their win over Arizona last week.

Houston will need more impactful defensive plays if they’re going to take the lead in a tight AFC South race. In the meantime, the offense will have to capitalize off of the fortunate no-call on Jalen Pitre.