With the Houston Texans set to make their prime-time debut on Monday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium, they are in for another tough battle on the defensive side of the ball.
Although Tampa Bay needed a late comeback touchdown to defeat divisional rivals, the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 23–20, the signs of their offense coming together were clear, which is something the Texans’ defense should be concerned about.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 17 of 32 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns in the victory as he grew more comfortable in the pocket, something the defense cannot allow on Sunday.
Here are key matchups to watch that could impact the Texans’ defense:
Jalen Pitre vs. Emeka Egbuka
Texans slot cornerback Jalen Pitre returned to the field for the first time since suffering a torn pectoral in the Week 12 game against the Tennessee Titans at home, which caused him to miss the Texans’ final five regular-season and two playoff games.
His return revealed some of the rust he needed to shake off, but facing a top-ten wide receiver like Puka Nucua of the Los Angeles Rams is a tough way to start the season. Pitre gave up the most yards to Nucua when matched up against him and often found himself trailing him.
With Tampa Bay rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka coming off a strong season debut against the Falcons, what makes him such a dangerous matchup is his ability to play both the outside and slot positions.
If they line him out wide, it’s more likely he will face Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter, who is very stingy about giving up completions. However, against Atlanta, Egbuka played 24 of his 52 snaps (46.2%) in the slot.
This puts Pitre in another tough matchup throughout the game, and defensive coordinator Matt Burke should pay close attention to that.
Derek Stingley Jr. vs. Mike Evans
If there ever was a matchup perfect for Monday Night Football, this is it.
Stingley is coming off one of his best seasons in his career, having been selected to the NFL All-Pro First Team after being dominant at his position.
He finished the season ranked second in the league in passes defended (19) and was one of two players to record 15 or more passes defended and five interceptions in 2024.
Last week against the Los Angeles Rams, Stingley matched up against future Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Davante Adams, limiting him to just four catches for 51 yards.
Like Pitre, the challenge doesn’t get easier this week, as Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans, another future Hall of Famer, is on the field.
In the victory over the Falcons, Evans was mainly used as a decoy, enabling his fellow wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Sterling Shepard to become primary targets for Baker Mayfield.
This week, facing a top-five defensive back in the NFL, Evans will be looking to prove that he remains one of the most dangerous receivers when he’s on the field. It won’t be a surprise to anyone watching the game if the Buccaneers’ offense tries to get the Galveston, Texas native involved early.