One of the few things that have gone right for the Houston Texans this season is the outstanding play of their rookie running back Dameon Pierce. His excellent work in the ground game has been a boon for the team through seven weeks, and given that he is still in just his first season as a pro, it isn’t out of the question that he might continue to get even better.
Running backs coach Danny Barrett commented on one area that Pierce can improve in the coming weeks in his remarks to reporters on Thursday. When asked about the rookie’s vision, Barrett told the media that continued film study will help Pierce get a more natural feel for where he needs to go with the ball in his hands.
“It’s all about the concept in which we are trying to present,” Barrett explained. “Understanding which run concept we are in and being able to hit your landmarks and know your reads. We do a lot of that in film study, on the field, going through it on the field, making those cuts, trying to visualize what’s going to take place. Ideally, we always talk about the O-line is going to get you to the second level, which is the secondary, and once (Dameon Pierce) can get to the secondary, now it’s up to him. Whether he’s going to beat them with speed or use any kind of cuts to try to get to those home runs. He’s got the ability to do that. He’s shown that in the past.”
Pierce’s talent is unquestionable at this point, and as a key cog in the Texans’ offensive attack, any improvement he makes in his rookie season will serve to strengthen the team moving forward. If he can follow the roadmap laid out by Barrett and continue to chip away at the few weaknesses he has shown this season, Houston might have an All-Pro caliber running back on their hands in the very near future.
