Throughout this season, one message has been consistent whenever opposing quarterbacks take the field against the Houston Texans’ defense.
Do not throw to any receiver lined up in front of 2024 First Team All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. Most quarterbacks have avoided him, but some still test him to see if they can take advantage of a blown assignment from Stingley, which rarely happens.
But on Sunday, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith learned early in the game that Stingley would not allow him to get comfortable throwing to his side.
On the Raiders’ second offensive possession, they faced third and one from their own 30-yard line. At the snap, Smith rolled to his right and immediately spotted running back Ashton Jeanty sneaking out into the flats, but Texans edge rusher Danielle Hunter was barreling down on Smith.
Still, Smith knew he had Jeanty open and just needed to get him the ball, especially with Stingley apparently heading up the field with tight end Brock Bowers. At least that is what Smith thought.
Stingley baited Smith into a false read by stopping in the spot where Jeanty was headed. He intercepted the pass, fell to the ground, got up, and ran it back for a 31-yard touchdown, which was the first pick-six interception of his NFL career.
It was also his first touchdown since his high school playing days.
“It’s crazy,” said Stingley of his interception return for a touchdown. “Everybody was blocking. I got up and seen the whole team right there and just ran.”
In his fourth season since being drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of LSU, Stingley has recorded 15 interceptions in his career and is the only defensive player in the NFL to have recorded at least four interceptions over the last three years.
“On that play, I just got to throw it away,” said Smith about Stingley’s interception. “They had a better call than us at that time.”
According to Next Gen Stats, he has allowed the lowest passer rating (55.9) among CBs with at least 400 coverage snaps, has allowed .9 yards per snap (tied for 12th lowest), and since Week 10 has allowed only eight catches.
Despite the Texans’ defense playing as well as it has this season, head coach DeMeco Ryans challenged his players in practice to set the tone early against the Raiders.
“We challenged our defense to get a turnover in the first quarter,” Ryans said. “That hadn’t happened for us all year. For ‘Sting’ to show up how he did and get not only a turnover but to go score, we needed points bad, and Stingley showed up and made a huge play for our team. We needed that play.
“Stingley, outstanding awareness by him to be able to make that play, not just pick it off, but to go score, really proud of him. You continue to try him; he continues to make plays. Great play by him.”