Tag: Houston Texans rushing offense

‘SWARM’ mentality on display as Texans snatch crown from Derrick Henry

The Texans completely shut down Derrick Henry, holding him to 10 yards on 20 total touches

It was a historic day for the Houston Texans on Sunday.

On an afternoon where the rival Tennessee Titans wore Houston history on their chest, the Oilers’ uniforms that filled the city through the 90s, head coach Demeco Ryans’ squad pulled out a gutsy 19-16 victory. Impressively, they did so without their star quarterback C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, George Fant and Will Anderson alongside the host of other veterans they’ve lost during the season.

Quarterback Case Keenum, a continuing Houston legend, was able to pull out yet another stunning victory in his tenured career as a backup. Representing the city that once made him a legend while at the University of Houston, he finished 23 of 36 for 229 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was openly appreciative of the opportunity to carry the torch for Houston.

It was one of the only times all season that Houston was able to run the ball consistently. Devin Singletary finished with 26 carries for 121 yards and a score and their threat on the ground put Keenum in a position to benefit. Wide receiver Noah Brown and tightened Dalton Schultz had enough moments throughout the day for the offense to be passable despite the absence of standout young wideouts Tank Dell and Nico Collins.

However, it was the defense that made this one special for the Texans.

Ryans’ squad absolutely shut down Tennessee running back Derrick Henry. A player who had so often tormented the Houston Texans during his career suffered the worst start of his NFL tenure. He finished with 16 carries for just 9 yards, four receptions for 1 yard, and no scores total. Henry was erased.

It was the least yardage in NFL history for a player with 20 or more touches. It was also the first time Henry was ever held to less than 10 yards on the ground during his tenure as the starting running back for the Tennessee Titans.

It was nothing short of a dramatic reversal for Houston’s defense and a statement one.

Beyond the running game, the defensive line was dominant. They finished with seven sacks on quarterback Will Levis while forcing the rookie quarterback to finish with less than 200 yards and zero scores through the air. Five different players gathered sacks and Jonathan Greenard continued his explosive fourth season with 2.5 sacks on the day, increasing his season total to 12.5

Linebacker Christian Harris had an incredible game, with several standout tackles on Henry and even receiver Deandre Hopkins. Slot cornerback Desmond King and linebacker Denzel Perryman led the team with 11 and 10 tackles respectively Derek Stingley and Steven Nelson continued their incredible joint campaign; they allowed no scores and combined for 10 targets with just five receptions for 85 yards. Nelson contributed a nice interception in the third quarter as well.

Coach Ryans has preached all season that they were going to be a physical football team. The mentality of SWARM, “Special Work Ethic and Relentless Mindset”, has been what many would call the defining trait of his football team. That was never more evident than the defense showing up with their most complete game of the 2023 season.

It was a statement win for a Texans team (8-6) that desperately needed it if they were going to compete for the AFC wild-card picture. After the Jacksonville Jaguars lost on Sunday night to the Baltimore Ravens, it also placed them in a three-way tie with the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC South lead.

There was ample concern after the terrible loss to the New York Jets last week that Houston may not have the defensive firepower to support Stroud’s absence. One week later, their defensive outlook appears much more friendly and there will be genuine optimism as they prepare for a home game over the Cleveland Browns.

The status of Stroud and others will be watched closely to see if they can return for the two-game home stretch. Their teammates gave them a chance to make an impact with the improbable win on Sunday. Now fans will see if they can continue a most improbable playoff run.

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.

Why has Texans RB Dameon Pierce disappeared in 2023?

Dameon Pierce was expected to be a key part of the Houston Texans’ offense in 2023, but the RB has disappeared.

This wasn’t the script for Dameon Pierce.

Last year, as a fourth-round pick from Florida, the running back was a bright spot for an underperforming Houston Texans team. He ran for 939 yards and four touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry while briefly flirting with the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in what was almost a 1,000-yard campaign prior to injuries. By all accounts, it appeared that Pierce would be Houston’s running back of the future.

The expectations only grew when Houston hired coach DeMeco Ryans, who brought with him offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and the San Francisco “Shanahan” West Coast scheme. It was an offense that had been extremely friendly to running backs for the San Francisco 49ers and had seen Christian McCaffrey explode for some of the most productive games of his career in 2022.

Throughout training camp the coaching staff was extremely complimentary of Pierce, with Slowik himself even believing in July that, “For us to be a good offense, we have to have Dameon at his A-game.” There was no shortage of belief.

Texans RB Devin Singletary heralded for big game against the Cardinals

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary picked up some praise from NBC Sports’ Peter King for the second straight week.

Devin Singletary’s second straight 100-yard performance looms large, not only for the Houston Texans, but for the rest of the NFL.

According to Peter King from NBC Sports, Singletary’s 22 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown in the 21-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals were worthy enough to qualify for an offensive player of the week slot in King’s “Football Morning in America” column.

Devin Singletary, running back, Houston. For the second straight week, the Buffalo castoff was crucial in a narrow Texans win that kept Houston (6-4) a game behind Jacksonville heading into their showdown for AFC South supremacy next Sunday in Houston. He rushed 22 times for 112 yards and a touchdown. His 11-yard TD score in the second quarter gave the Texans the lead for good. His 262 rushing yards in the last two weeks — in relief of the injured Dameon Pierce — lead all NFL backs over Week 10 and 11.

While Singletary is enjoying the benefits of being the Texans’ feature back, according to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Houston still has plans for Pierce as the dominant ball carrier once he returns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

WATCH: Texans RB Devin Singletary rushes for 11-yard TD against the Cardinals

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary rushed for an 11-yard score against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11.

Devin Singletary is taking advantage of opportunities.

The former Buffalo Bills running back has been filling in as the feature back for the Houston Texans for the past three games with Dameon Pierce sidelined with an ankle injury.

Facing a second-and-10 from the Arizona Cardinals’ 11-yard line in Week 11 Sunday, Singletary gave Houston the lead with a touchdown run with 11:27 to go in the second quarter. An extra point from Matt Ammendola gave the Texans 14-10 lead.

The strong showing from Singletary follows a Week 10 performance wherein he delivered 30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown, by far the most production for a Texans running back in 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=601914802]

Texans RB Devin Singletary optimistic about run game

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary is enthused about the direction of the run game.

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary had a feeling that he would have a breakout game against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday at Paycor Stadium. The fifth-year veteran was called upon to replace injured teammate Dameon Pierce, who missed his second consecutive game due to an ankle injury.

“As soon as I seen the game plan I said, ‘It is going to be a good week,’” Singletary said to the Texans Wire. “When I got on the field, it was just a cool, calm, and collected feeling over me, and we were able to get busy.”

Singletary, 26, had a career day by rushing for 150 yards on 30 attempts. He added a touchdown to help the Texans defeat the Bengals 30-27. It is the 16th time a Texan has rushed for 150-plus yards in a single game and the fifth career game that he has rushed for 100-plus yards. Houston had not had a player rush for over 100 yards since Dameon Pierce completed the feat last November against the Philadelphia Eagles.

All the hard work on the field paid off for Singletary, who was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Singletary was the only player in the NFL to surpass 125 yards on the ground last week, as his 150-yard total stands as the ninth-highest single-game total in the league this year.

Although he was awarded individually, Singletary is well aware that he could only have accomplished his career day with some help from his teammates.

“The big guys [offensive line] was able to move some people,” said Singletary. “You even had the receivers coming into the box and getting real dirty; a lot of receivers do not like to do that. run. That was all it came down to.”

With Pierce out for the third straight game Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, the Texans offense will be hoping for a repeat performance from Singletary. A victory would help keep the division title and playoff goals Houston has for themselves alive heading into next week’s showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It would also help further the bond the players have developed in the locker room.

“You can feel the momentum we got going,” Singletary said about the locker room atmosphere. “The brotherhood we have is growing and getting stronger. Guys are locked in. We are ready to play some meaningful football. It is that time. November and December, guys are locked in.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

Texans OC Bobby Slowik says ‘nothing has changed’ with RB Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik says that Dameon Pierce still has the same role despite Devin Singletary’s productive game.

The Houston Texans run game struggled to produce a 100-yard rusher until Week 10, the second game starter Dameon Pierce missed with an ankle injury.

Running back Devin Singletary had a career game in the Texans’ 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The reserve generated 30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown.

With a tally that high, the question becomes: What happens to Pierce?

According to Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, one big game from Singletary doesn’t alter their outlook on Pierce or the running back roles.

“Yeah, nothing has changed,” Slowik told reporters Nov. 16. “I’ve kind of been saying this for a while — I really believe in having guys that can distribute carries. I think that keeps you fresh as the game keeps going, especially through the course of a season.”

While the Texans rode Singletary with 30 carries last week, Slowik emphasized that type of production has a toll on a back throughout the season.

“You have 30 carries in multiple games, that adds up fast, and we don’t want to put that on any one player, so it really won’t be any different than it was before,” said Slowik. “I know ‘D.P.’ [Pierce] is working his tail off to try to get back as soon as he can. When that happens, we’ll roll.”

Houston gets back in action in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals for 12:00 p.m. Central Time kickoff from NRG Stadium.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

Texans RB Devin Singletary named AFC Offensive Player of the Week

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary has earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 30 carries for 150 yards and a TD in Week 10.

For the third time in team history, the Houston Texans have back-to-back players of the week.

The NFL announced Wednesday running back Devin Singletary as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Singletary had 30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.

The former Buffalo Bill was the only player to go over 125 yards on the ground the past week, and the 150 yards is the ninth-best single-game total league-wide in 2023. Singletary is also the eighth player in team history to attain the 150-yard threshold.

The Texans now have had a player of the week 54 times, and it is the 19th time an offensive player has won the award. Singletary joins Blake Cashman and C.J. Stroud as the other Texans to win player of the week honors in 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

Texans RB Devin Singletary could offer fantasy value during stretch run

The Houston Texans’ surging run game may provide value for RB Devin Singletary as fantasy football moves into late season.

The NFL season is halfway over for some teams, but for fantasy football enthusiasts, twilight is growing nigh on the 2023 campaign. Customarily the start for fantasy football playoffs is Week 15.

As is the case in the NFL, teams are constantly tinkering with what works. For the Houston Texans, it appears that Devin Singletary as lead running back produces results. The former Buffalo Bills rusher generated 30 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown in what was Houston’s best rushing output of the season.

According to Gordon McGuinness from Pro Football Focus, Singletary deserves consideration for fantasy rosters entering the final stretch.

Devin Singletary is only rostered in 51% of Yahoo leagues and is coming off a game where he put up 150 yards in relief of the injured Dameon Pierce. Even when Pierce returns, Singletary can still expect to see roughly 10 carries per game if they split time, and there is the potential that his big game against the Cincinnati Bengals will cause a Texans team that had struggled to get the running game going to turn to him more down the stretch.

Prior to Week 8 when Pierce injured his ankle, there were only two games Singletary went over 10 touches, let alone carries.

The Texans may be more likely to go with Singletary earlier in games if Pierce is still struggling to find daylight. Pierce has to know his job is at stake given Singletary’s performance against the Bengals, which could motivate the former 2022 fourth-rounder to keep Singletary on the bench.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

WATCH: Texans RB Devin Singletary rushes for TD against the Bengals

Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary rushed for his first touchdown of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s scheme is based on a strong run game. Through the first eight games of the season, the Houston Texans were having trouble getting the ground game going.

Throw in starting running back Dameon Pierce missing his second game with an ankle injury, and Week 10’s showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals looked like another game where Houston would struggle in the running game.

However, the Texans signed former Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary in free agency to provide veteran support. Singletary got the run game going and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season with 7:12 to go in the third quarter. Singletary’s 6-yard touchdown run pushed Houston ahead 20-7.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]