HOUSTON — With their upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at NRG Stadium, the Houston Texans defense will feel like they are in some time warp and stuck in Atlanta playing the Falcons all over again.
The Saints and Falcons, who compete against each other in the NFC South, are similar regarding personnel, especially the linebacker position that Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and offensive coordinator Dave Ragone constantly picked on.
“A lot of play-action pass game, which is what they’ve shown, what we’ve practiced,” said Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans about Atlanta’s offense. “Like I said, when you are in that position, you just have to make a play. Credit to Atlanta, they made the plays in those situations, and we didn’t. If you want to win games in this league, you’ve got to step up and make plays happen. I’m proud of the defense for taking the ball two times and giving us the opportunity, but there were too many plays where we didn’t come down with it.”
Houston’s linebacker group was responsible for not allowing Falcons superstar rookie running back Bijan Robinson to take over the game, and they did an excellent job of containing him by allowing only 58 yards total yards from scrimmage and one touchdown.
They must deploy some of the same game-planning for Saints two-way running back Alvin Kamara, who can do as much damage in passing routes as he does out of the backfield.
“It’s a demanding position,” said Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke about learning the new defensive scheme. “We’ve talked in here a lot about the communication. So, even just starting with that part and putting a lot on those guys’ plates of making calls, making checks, and then within the coverage and the schemes, just in general, those guys, linebackers in the league these days, because they are run players and pass players and you’re communicators and you’re blitzers and you’re tacklers – all those things.”
“And now, again with the way the league has evolved with tight ends and running backs that you have to match up with. It’s a multi-dimensional position now. There’s just a lot on those guys’ plates. I wouldn’t say that’s specific to this scheme or this front, or this whatever. I think just in general that world has expanded – the world of linebacker play has expanded over the last five to ten years – and so it’s just a demanding position, for sure.”
“Tracking and finishing physically and getting 11 hats [Players] to the ball,” said Texans rookie linebacker Henry To’o To’o about stopping Saints RB Alvin Kamara. #Texans #Sarge @TheTexansWire pic.twitter.com/F2rANiY26p
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) October 15, 2023
If the Texans are to win on Sunday at NRG Stadium, they will have to get a big game from rookie linebacker Henry To’o To’o. He led the team in tackles (12) last week but suffered in pass coverage, which he found himself in a lot in the second half.
“They came up with a great game plan,” To’o To’o said after the game. “They did a great job of finding us in a certain coverage and then picked their spots on where they wanted to throw the ball, and they did a really good job at that.”
Houston will be playing against a Saints offense with many dynamic weapons, but everything starts and stops with Kamara. He is playing in only his third game of the season after being suspended for the first three for conduct detrimental to the team.
“I think it is the same approach,” said To’o To’o about playing against Kamara, who has a similar skillset to Robinson. “Tracking and finishing physically and getting 11 hats [Players] to the ball. That is the biggest thing for our defense, no matter who we play.”
