As Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter finished getting dressed at his locker — which happens to be right next to one of the game’s standout players and his best friend, safety Calen Bullock — he said with as serious a look as I’ve seen in his two seasons with the team when asked about the performance of the defensive front seven, which recorded a game-high eight sacks on reigning NFL MVP and current Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen in their 23-19 victory over the Bills on Thursday night.
“I am not surprised, y’all are,” said Lassiter exclusively to Big Sarge Media. “I practice and play with those guys up front every day, so I knew that a game like this was coming; I just didn’t know when. They’ve been so close to a breakout game like this, and I am not surprised at all that it happened while everyone in the world was watching.”
Bullock chimed in while Lassiter was talking, smiling, and said, “I would hate to be a quarterback when them boys are on the field, they are hunters for real.”
Led by edge rushers Will Anderson Jr (2.5 sacks) and Danielle Hunter (2.0 sacks), the Texans’ defense embodied their S.W.A.R.M. mantra, making things difficult for Allen all night, as he could never establish a consistent rhythm due to the constant pressure from the snap of the ball. The eight sacks were the most he had been sacked in a single game in his entire career.
“The credit goes to, first and foremost, our defensive line,” said Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans in his postgame press conference. “The way they go out, the way those guys relentlessly rush the passer, and everybody on the back end is playing sound and playing together. When we do that, we’re tough to move the ball against. So, our players are doing an outstanding job.”
Not only did the defensive front seven record eight sacks, but their relentless pursuit of Allen all night forced three turnovers, all by Bullock, who had two interceptions and a forced fumble recovered by rookie safety Jaylen Reed.
It was the third time in franchise history that the defense had eight sacks and forced three turnovers, and the first time in the NFL since Houston did it against the Tennessee Titans last season. Six different Texans defenders recorded at least a half-sack, tied for the most players in a single game in franchise history. The Texans also recorded their ninth consecutive game with at least 1.0 sack and a turnover, the longest active streak in the NFL.
“Early on in the season, we were getting a little frustrated with the (lack of) sacks, said edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. “Now everything is starting to open up for us, and I think we just have to keep hunting. Tonight was a perfect example of everyone hunting relentlessly and doing whatever it takes.
“I think D Hunt [Danielle Hunter] hit it on the head when we had our (defensive line) meeting when he said, ‘Bro just empty the tank, leave here crawling off the field.’ The energy that he brings to our group and the message that he brings, he is like a silent killer ad we really look up to him. I think we really did a good job tonight as a whole team.”