Tag: Texans football season

NFL analyst names Kamari Lassiter Texans’ unsung hero for 2024 season

Kamari Lassiter’s breakout season with the Houston Texans shouldn’t go unnoticed.

While the Houston Texans didn’t surpass their goal of playing for a conference title, there’s ample to be pleased with heading into Year 3 of the DeMeco Ryans era.

One key element is the growth of second-round pick Kamari Lassiter, who continued his promising offseason into live reps as the No. 2 corner behind All-Pro Derek Stingley Jr.

Houston’s top 10 pass defense wouldn’t have reached new peaks without Lassiter locking down a team’s No. 2 target, though most accolades went to Stingley during his All-Pro season.

Recently, NFL.com’s Kevin Patra broke down the unsung heroes for every AFC team for 2024. Lassiter, who allowed the lowest coverage grade among all rookie cornerbacks per Pro Football Focus, was the clear option.

“Playing across from Derek Stingley Jr., Lassiter entered the season knowing he’d see the bulk of targets thrown his way,” Prata wrote. “The rookie stepped into that spotlight and delivered time and time again. Lassiter generated a 58.6 passer rating against as the nearest defender, including playoffs — second among all CBs with at least 300 coverage snaps, per NGS. The only player better: Stingley.”

Drafted No. 42 overall last April., Lassiter was flagged for having a slow 40-time, thus knocking him out of the first-round conversations. When Houston drafted him, it intended to have him start in the nickel before shifting him outside.

That lasted three practices before Lassiter started covering Nico Collins and Tank Dell in practice. The rest was history en route to record-setting numbers this fall.

“The rookie was tops in the league under those parameters with a 43.7 completion percent allowed and a -12.8 completion percentage over expected,” Prata wrote. “If advanced metrics aren’t your thing, the rookie also had four INTs and 12 passes defended in 16 games. With Lassiter and Stingley, DeMeco Ryans has a lockdown duo at his disposal.”

In 16 games —including playoffs — Lassiter totaled 64 tackles, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups.

All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. hopes for long-term extension with Texans

Derek Stingley Jr. wants to be a Houston Texans starter “for life” as he becomes eligible for an extension

Derek Stingley Jr. envisions himself wearing a Houston Texans uniform in the future. If everything goes according to plan, he’ll never don another team’s colors.

“I want to be here forever,” Stingley said.

Following an All-Pro season as the Texans’ top defender, Stingley is eligible for an extension for the first time this offseason. The Texans can pick up his fifth-year option before May 1, lengthening their time to agree to a new deal before the former No. 3 overall pick hits the market in 2026.

The option has both positive and negative aspects. While it lengthens the time, it also allows for more production, leading to a more expensive deal for perhaps the league’s top defensive back.

Three years into his career, the Texans made the right call to take Stingley over New York Jets cornerback Sauce Garnder. The former LSU All-American is coming off a career year, notching five interceptions, 18 passes defended and 54 tackles while playing an entire season for the first time since his 2019.

In the postseason, Stingley added two picks and a forced fumble against the Los Angeles Chargers. In last week’s divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, he didn’t allow a catch in coverage to Hollywood Brown or DeAndre Hopkins.

“Sting is the best player I’ve seen in a really long time,” rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter said. “Just playing with him, man, it just makes me better. Just seeing him make plays, then I want to go make plays and we just feed off each other.

“The sky’s the limit.”

Numbers justify a new deal for Sting as he enters the last year of his guaranteed rookie contract. His 56.9 passer rating when targeted in the regular season was the lowest among cornerbacks. His 4.93 yards per target allowed ranked second among defenders with more than 50 targets, trailing only fellow All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

On top of earning All-Pro status, Stingley was selected to his first Pro Bowl. During the regular season, he ranked second in pass breakups and sixth in total interceptions.

The Texans know it’ll be expensive, but it’s worth keeping the homegrown talent around for the long haul. Stingley, who said he’ll stick around the city to train this offseason, said he won’t get involved in negotiations for a new contract.

That’s up for the team and his representation to work on while he works on winning a Super Bowl next season.

“I’m just going to be here, working out,” Stingley said.  “Taking care of me.”

Texans find replacement for WR Diontae Johnson before Chiefs game

The Houston Texans have found their replacement for WR Diontae Johnson before Chiefs game

Jared Wayne is getting called up.

The Houston Texans have added Wayne from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of their divisional round against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.

He’ll replace Diontae Johnson, who was waived after two games after being claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens ahead of a postseason run.

In place of Wayne on the practice squad, the Texans signed former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Alex Erickson.

Wayne, a former undrafted free agent from Pitt, played in three games this season, primarily on special teams, with no targets or catches. He was last active against the Chiefs in Week 17’s 27-19 loss at Arrowhead Stadium.

Johnson, who was expected to compete for the No. 2 job after his demise in Baltimore, caught one pass in a playoff win for 12 yards. It was his only target and he played 16 snaps on offense for 22 percent of the playing time.

After the game during the open locker room session for interviews,  Johnson was seen visibly upset sitting in his locker. He seemed frustrated because of a lack of playing time and targets.

Running back Joe Mixon and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair tried to comfort and encourage him. Two days later, he was waived.

“Diontae, unfortunately it didn’t work out,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said, “And we are on to the Chiefs.”

Kickoff from Arrowhead is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and ABC.

Analysis: How the Texans scrooged fans on Christmas with blundering loss vs. Ravens

Only the Houston Texans could manage to make a city mad on Christmas Day.

Well, at least Beyoncé showed up for his city.

Outside of a Kamari Lassiter safety during the second quarter against All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, there was no peace or love from the Houston Texans on a Holiday built around those core values.

C.J. Stroud struggled to build any early momentum.

The defense allowed Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson to break a once-improbable record while catapulting him back into the running for league MVP.

Oh, and the Texans couldn’t convert on fourth down en route to a 31-2 loss at NRG Stadium.

But at least Queen Bey shut the house down during her halftime performance. Midway through the third quarter, fans were begging for her to have an encore to stop the bleeding on the field.

Jackson, the reigning MVP, threw for 168 yards and tacked on 87 more with his legs, including a 48-yard touchdown to kickstart the third quarter. With his performance, the two-time MVP surpassed Michael Vick as the all-time leading rushing quarterback with 6,110 career yards.

Henry might have been stopped in the end zone to get Houston (9-7) on the board, but he more than made up for his blunder with a 147-yard performance on the ground. He also set the Ravens season record with his 16th touchdown on a 2-yard run in the first quarter.

Henry, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Tennessee Titans,  eclipsed Ray Rice (2011) and Mark Ingram (2019) for the title.

Stroud, who completed 57.7% of his throws for 185 yards and an interception, wasn’t the only problem, but his lulls carried on over into the third quarter.

After deferring, Houston came out swinging on the opening drive in the third quarter, only to have Stroud toss an interception to Kyle Hamilton at the Ravens’ 32.

Two plays later, Jackson was off to the end zone and the score grew to 24-2.

The second-year quarterback was sacked five times and was 4-of-15 on third-down conversions. John Metchie led the Texans in place of Tank Dell with five catches for 48 yards.

Nico Collins totaled 59 yards off three passes. Joe Mixon was held in check with 28 yards off nine carries.

The offensive woes have lingered since Stefon Diggs’ season-ending injury in Week 8. The defensive blunders were a new one. Jackson should have been brought down for a sack on multiple occasions but turned improvisation into ample gains and a fresh set of downs.

The Ravens finished with 432 yards, the most given yards given up by a defense since Week 11′ 34-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

Houston has 11 days off to respond before they hit the road to take on the  Titans at Nissan Stadium on Jan. 5 for the regular-season finale.