Zach Cunningham – Page 15 – Syndication Server

Bills at Texans: 5 matchups to watch

The Buffalo Bills are back in the playoffs and will be facing the Houston Texans.

The Buffalo Bills are back in the playoffs for the second time in three years, and will be facing the AFC South champions Houston Texans. After a surprising 10-6 season, the Bills will be going to Houston to face Deshaun Watson, J.J. Watt, and DeAndre Hopkins on Wild Card weekend.

Here are the five matchups to watch against Houston on Saturday:

Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White. Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Tre’Davious White vs. DeAndre Hopkins

Let’s not beat around the bush here, this is the biggest test in the young career of Tre’Davious White. These two locked horns last season and White had an underrated performance. He held the Pro Bowl receiver to five catches, 63 yards, and one touchdown. White was in a great coverage, but Hopkins made an exceptional back shoulder grab that only a few players can make in the NFL.

White has had the best season of his career, with six interceptions, and 17 pass breakups the most important stat for White though, is that he’s allowed zero touchdowns this season. Putting him in the running for Defensive Player of the Year.

DeAndre Hopkins on the other hand, has been having a down year by his lofty standards. The Pro Bowler has 104 catches, 1,165 yards, and seven touchdowns. His past two seasons saw him go over 1,300 yards, and go into double digits for touchdowns as well.

With fellow wide receivers, Will Fuller V and Kenny Stills both listed as questionable for Saturday the offense will run through quarterback Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins.

Throwback to when @DeAndreHopkins did THAT on Christmas Night😱 pic.twitter.com/kM0dJcQqM3

— FG 🏈 (@ForeverGridiron) December 25, 2019

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Texans ILB Zach Cunningham lets his actions speak for themselves

Houston Texans inside linebacker Zach Cunningham is having an outstanding season, where he’s letting his actions speak for themselves.

Quietly, the AFC has a new tackling-machine. He resides in Houston and plays for the Texans.

Third-year inside linebacker Zach Cunningham paces the AFC with 128 combined tackles, which also sits at fifth in the NFL. His 89 solo tackles are second in the league. He has also cut-down his missed tackle rate from 13% to 7.9%, per Pro Football Reference.

On Tuesday evening, the NFL recognized Cunningham’s efforts by naming him as a Pro Bowl alternate behind Darius Leonard and Dont’a Hightower. For him, it’s an honor, but it wasn’t one he pushed for.

A quiet menace, the Vanderbilt product lets his play do the talking.

“I let my actions speak for themselves,” Cunningham said on Wednesday.

Cunningham isn’t just one of the top tackles in professional football, he’s also one of the top run defenders. According to Pro Football Focus, he leads the NFL in run stops (44) and run-stop rate (14.3%).

Cunningham’s numbers and fiery style of play earns him recognition from those around the NFL. Though he lets his action speak for themselves, as he says, he can’t help but realize that the recognition means a lot to him.

“To definitely have that recognition, you know, just knowing that you got that respect around the league, that’s something that means a lot to me,” Cunningham said.

His peers have noticed. After games, Cunningham attracts the attention of opponents who would like to tell him to continue doing well and compliment him.

“There’s a few things I’ve heard after games,” Cunningham said. “Just guys letting me know that I’ve been doing real good. And (what they say) it’s keep balling, stay healthy, those type of things.”

At 25 years old, Cunningham is still a relative newbie to the NFL. However, the league is taking notice of his actions, even if he isn’t one to show them first-hand.

Texans’ Zach Cunningham is the inside linebacker that can do it all

Houston Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel likes what he has seen from inside linebacker Zach Cunningham in his third NFL season.

Inside linebacker Zach Cunningham doesn’t just lead the Houston Texans with 128 tackles, but he is the top tackler in the AFC.

The third-year defender from Vanderbilt has grown since the Texans selected him in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. With two games left in the regular season, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel can properly evaluate that growth.

“He has really good ability, he has instincts, he has a knack for knowing when to go behind the block, when to go over top of the block and when to take on the block,” Crennel told reporters Wednesday. “He can do all of those very well and has been doing it very well, and that gets him to the football.”

With the way some 3-4 inside linebackers play, they are forced to take on a blocker and free up others to make plays, kind of like an extension of the interior line play. However, according to Crennel, Cunningham can do it all.

“Zach has the ability to do it all,” said Crennel. “Then, what that does is that causes the lineman who’s blocking him some indecision. ‘Is this guy going to go behind me, is he going to go over the top or is he going to hit me in the earhole?’

“You don’t know which one you’re going to get, but Zach has that instinct to make the right move.”

In addition to his 128 tackles, Cunningham has collected 2.0 sacks, seven tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries, and a pass breakup in his 14 starts.

On Tuesday evening, Cunningham was named a Pro Bowl alternate. Certainly Cunningham, along with the rest of the Texans, are hoping to use Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 as a prep day for Super Bowl LIV in Miami Gardens, Fla., rather than play in the NFL’s all-star game.

What does Romeo Crennel tell the Texans’ Pro Bowl alternates?

The Houston Texans have Pro Bowl alternates on defense, and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel has solid advice for all of them.

The Houston Texans have three Pro Bowl alternates in defensive tackle D.J. Reader, inside linebacker Zach Cunningham, and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus.

Considered a “snub” as they weren’t named initial starters or reserves on the AFC’s all-star roster, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel has seen his fair share of snubs in his 39 years of coaching at the pro level. His message resonates.

“Like I told Whitney, because Whitney I think is an alternate also, sometimes Whitney doesn’t feel like that people notice what he does, and I told him, I said, ‘People notice what you do. That’s why you got the award. That’s why you’re where you are,'” Crennel told reporters Wednesday.

In the case of Mercilus, he is tied for the second-most forced fumbles among AFC linebackers with four and is tied for the fourth-most interceptions among linebackers in the conference with two. He isn’t leading any particular statistical category like Cunningham is, who has the most tackles in the AFC with 128.

“He shows up every game,” Crennel said. “Many games he’s been a double-digit tackler the last couple of games anyway. That tells you that he’s around the ball, he’s fitting where he’s supposed to fit. That’s a good accomplishment for him and it’s well deserved.”

However, the third-year linebacker is an alternate. The nearest Pro Bowler is the Indianapolis Colts’ Darius Leonard with 104, the fifth-most in the AFC.

Another overlooked defender is Reader, who has produced career highs with 2.5 sacks, 49 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits.

“In our system, they don’t get many accolades,” Crennel explained. “They take a pounding and all that, but I think they realize their importance to the defense and the linebackers definitely realize the job that they do.”

The one accolade all of the Texans’ alternates seek is to play on Super Bowl Sunday. That would be worth getting overlooked for the Pro Bowl.

OLB Whitney Mercilus headlines the 5 Texans 2020 Pro Bowl alternates

The Houston Texans announced their five Pro Bowl alternates, and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus is one of them.

The Houston Texans announced Tuesday evening they had three selections to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl in quarterback Deshaun Watson, receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

The Texans are one of the teams in the league that also makes public their Pro Bowl alternates. Here are the five Texans who have been sensational throughout the season but didn’t make the cut to be a part of the AFC roster.

1. OLB whitney mercilus

texans-whitney-mercilus-dazzled-jaguars-doug-marrone — (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The 29-year-old edge defender was off to a fast start with four forced fumbles through the first five weeks of the season. However, Mercilus, much like the Texans’ pass rush, tapered off midway through the season. He also saw more double teams as defensive end J.J. Watt tore his pectoral muscle and teams keyed on the former 2012 first-round pick as the Texans’ only credible pass rusher. A second-team All-Pro in 2016, Mercilus has been on the cusp of getting more premier accolades. His alternate status shows once more how close he has come.

Who’s ahead: Ravens OLB Matt Judon, Broncos OLB Von Miller, Steelers OLB T.J. Watt

Chances to make the team: Fairly good given that Judon could be playing in the Super Bowl and Miller, who has had an injury plagued season and already named to eight Pro Bowls, may back out.

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6 Texans players snubbed from the 2020 Pro Bowl

The Houston Texans sent three players to the 2020 Pro Bowl. However, they should have sent more, including Carlos Hyde, Zach Cunningham and more.

The Houston Texans are sending a trio of players to the Pro Bowl.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson is going for his second time, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins now has four Pro Bowl bids to his name and left tackle Laremy Tunsil can call himself a Pro Bowler for the first time in his four-year career.

All three deserve to go to Orlando, Fla., in late January for the annual all-star game. However, the 9-5 Texans could have sent a few more; specifically, six roster members should be heading with Watson, Hopkins, and Tunsil to Central Florida.

1. RB Carlos Hyde

carlos-hyde-perfect-rb-bill-obriens-first-down-philosophy — Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

It was always going to be tough for Carlos Hyde to make the Pro Bowl. Star running backs rule the AFC with deserving rushers Mark Ingram, Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry making the Orlando roster.

If Josh Jacobs, a leading offensive rookie of the year candidate, couldn’t get in, then it was going to be tough sledding for Hyde.

However, the 29-year-old has an argument for making the roster. Splitting carries with Duke Johnson, the sixth-year former Buckeye has had a career season in 2019 with 1,030 rushing yards (10th in the NFL) for five touchdowns and a 4.6 yards per carry.

“I really like the way Carlos runs the ball,” coach Bill O’Brien told reporters Monday. “I think that he gets his pads down, I think he can run all the runs, he can run inside, he can run outside, he’s got really good vision, very coachable guy, good teammate, gets tough yards.”

Hyde was not named an alternate.

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Texans LB Zach Cunningham is having a career year ‘flying around’

Houston Texans inside linebacker Zach Cunningham is having a career year, as he’s “flying around” to be the team’s leading tackler.

Zach Cunningham entered the 2017 NFL Draft pool as a probable first-round pick. However, those late April nights did not fall that way for the Vanderbilt product. He slid to the Houston Texans at pick No. 57 in the second round.

Cunningham has outplayed his draft status, reaffirming that he should have been a first-round pick. Now in his third year in the NFL, the 24-year-old is having a career year.

Through 13 games, Cunningham has 114 combined tackles, which leads the AFC and is sixth in the NFL. His 79 solo tackles are second in the league. Both are career highs.

“Zach’s had a good year,” said Texans coach Bill O’Brien on Monday. “He’s been flying around, making a lot of plays in every game. He’s making plays on special teams, making plays on the punt team, very instinctive guy, very athletic, he’s had a really good year.”

Cunningham’s seven tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and two quarterback hits are also career highs. According to Pro Football Focus, he leads the NFL in defensive stops with 54, also a career-high.

Per Pro Football Reference, Cunningham has shown massive improvement in tackling in 2019. His missed tackle rate has shrunk from 13% in 2018 to 8.8% in 2018. He has missed 11 tackles.

No. 41, Cunningham’s number, is a mainstay in the Texans’ defense. He flys around the field and can be seen where the ball is. If he can improve as a coverage player (100.5 passer rating allowed), Houston may be dealing with yet another in-house-made inside linebacker in their front-seven.

Currently, Cunningham has one more year left on his rookie contract. He will be a free agent in 2021, barring a contract extension. Houston has fellow inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney locked up until 2024 on a large extension.

If the Texans see Cunningham as a key cog to their defense, his career-year may translate into a new deal.

Zach Cunningham: Texans have to put their best foot forward

Heading into an important three weeks, Houston Texans inside linebacker Zach Cunningham says the team has to put their best foot forward.

It’s do or die time for the Houston Texans. At 8-5, they are tied for the crown of the AFC South, with none other than an opponent they will see twice in the next three weeks: the Tennessee Titans.

Houston, if they have playoff aspirations, must at least split the series with the Titans and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sandwich game to ensure their spot in the playoffs.

Texans standout linebacker Zach Cunningham explains.

“I mean, it’s basically what it is. Three games left, we gotta, you know, put our best foot forward going into the rest of the season,” said Cunningham on Monday.

Cunningham, in his third professional season, is a catalyst to the Texans’ success. He already has a career-best in combined tackles with 114, which also paces the team. His 79 solo tackles sit at second in the NFL while his 114 combined ones are sixth.

Of course, Cunningham won’t be the one to lead the Texans to the post-season alone. He needs to rest of the team to step up to the challenge, which he feels like they can do.

“I feel like we are able to step up to the challenge. Just got to go out there and prove it,” said Cunningham.

Houston will have to embark in their three-week stretch to the postseason without their best defensive player, J.J. Watt, who has been out since Week 8. Instead, their defense will be compiled by a lesser-known group, one that Cunningham believes will get the Texans where they want to be.

“Definitely confident in the guys that we have in the locker room. Guys will continue to fight and throughout the whole season,” said Cunningham. “That’s what we continue to show.”

The Texans will begin their playoff quest on Sunday. They will travel to Nashville to face the surging Titans.

Texans ILBs Benardrick McKinney, Zach Cunningham ‘playing as good as anyone’ in NFL

Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien says inside linebackers Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham make for one of the NFL’s best duos.

Without J.J. Watt (injured reserve) and Jadeveon Clowney (trade to Seattle Seahawks), the Houston Texans’ defense needed to see productivity out of the rest of their front-seven. The two inside linebackers that played behind the two are doing just that.

Benardrick McKinney, a Pro Bowler in 2018, and Zach Cunningham, the team’s leader in tackles in 2018 (107), have emerged as one of the NFL’s better duos at the position.

“The inside backers are playing as good as anybody in the league,” said Texans coach Bill O’Brien on Wednesday. “I mean, B-Mac (McKinney) and Zach are really having good years.”

McKinney — who wears the “green dot,” indicating that he calls defensive plays and adjustments — has amassed 79 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, two pass deflections and a half-sack in 2019. According to Pro Football Reference, he has lowered his missed tackle rate by 3.9%.

Cunningham sits 10th in the NFL in total tackles (95). He has five tackles for loss, a pass deflection, quarterback hit and sack to boot. The third-year linebacker leads the Texans in tackles. Like McKinney, he has cut down on his missed tackles, dropping his rate by 2.2%.

“They’re very active, they’re very physical, very athletic,” said O’Brien. “Both are a little bit different in what they do, but — and I think that’s really important in this game.”

McKinney and Cunningham make for one of the NFL’s elite run-stuffing duos. The two take turns blitzing through multiple gaps. However, they aren’t quite widely considered to be the NFL’s best duo, in large part due to their coverage abilities.

McKinney and Cunningham have allowed 129.2 and 103.9 passer ratings in coverage in 2019, respectively, per PFR. Quarterbacks have thrown a 90.3% completion rate McKinney’s way, while Cunningham has allowed an 80% and 229 of 233 total receiving yards after the catch.

The two have shown improvement as coverage linebackers in 2019. If they can continue to build on it, the 27-year-old McKinney and 24-year-old Cunningham may grow from a very good pairing to an elite one.

7 crazy stats from the Texans’ 20-17 win over the Colts

The Houston Texans took care of business by beating the Indianapolis Colts in NFL Week 12. Here are seven crazy stats from the big victory.

The Houston Texans rebounded from an ugly loss in Week 11 to beat the division rival Indianapolis Colts 20-17 on Thursday night at home. The win moves the Texans to top in the AFC South with a 7-4 record. Here are the seven crazy stats from the victory.

1. A career-high in combined tackles for Zach Cunningham

Inside linebacker Zach Cunningham had a career day. His 16 combined tackles were the most in his impressive three-year career. It also ties for the third-most in a game in Texans franchise history. His 13 solo tackles were also the second-most in an individual matchup.

2. DeAndre Hopkins holds down H-Town

houston-texans-deandre-hopkins-home-t-y-hiltons — (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Only one (current) wide receiver can claim Houston as his. He doesn’t play for the Cougars (sorry Marquez Stevenson) or Roughnecks (sorry Sammie Coates). It’s DeAndre Hopkins. With his two touchdown receptions, Hopkins passed Jimmy Graham for second-most touchdown receptions at home since 2013 (30) trailing just Antonio Brown (44).

3. Most comeback wins in the past two seasons

The Texans found themselves down to the Colts, only to end up winning the game by three. They won on a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. With the comeback win, they now have the most for any team in the last two seasons (14).

4. 34-2 when allowing 19 or fewer points

When the Texans allow 19 points or fewer, they usually win. Under coach Bill O’Brien (2014-2019), they are 34-2 when they allow 19 points or fewer. Their 94.4 winning percentage when allowing less than 20 points ranks third in the league since 2014

5. Whitney Mercilus passes Kevin Walter in a longevity record

Wide receiver Kevin Walter was one of the Texans’ original greats. Years later, the franchise is a different place, with multiple players passing up his longevity. Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus’ 109 games passed Walter for the 10th-most in franchise history.

6. Deshaun Watson shines in prime time

When the lights get brighter, Deshaun Watson gets better. Though he got off to a slow start on Thursday night, the third-year quarterback willed his Texans to victory over the Colts. The win meant that he is now 5-2 in prime time, with losses against the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints.

7. Second-best offense in team history

bill-obrien-gives-texans-weekend-off-20-17-win-colts — Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

In 2012, the Texans dominated defenses with Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster running Gary Kubiak’s scheme. It was the best offense in franchise history. In 2019, there is the second-best in the team’s history with Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins and Carlos Hyde tallying 4,198 net yards through Week 12.