 |
Before training camp last season, all the buzz in the city and throughout the AFC South centered on the Houston Texans’ acquisition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs, a two-time NFL All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, via trade from the Buffalo Bills.
Many believed that pairing him with wide receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell would bolster the offensive unit led by quarterback C.J. Stroud and give former offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik many more play-calling options.
Yet, it was the defensive side of the ball that benefited more from the training camp battles with Diggs during his time in Houston than the offense did, as Diggs suffered a non-contact, season-ending ACL injury in Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts.
This Sunday, the Texans’ defensive backs, including two-time First Team All-Pro Derek Stingley, up-and-coming second-year defensive standouts Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock, and savvy veteran Jalen Pitre, will once again line up across from their former teammate, as they did in the Houston heat last summer.
But this time, much more is on the line than another training camp rep.
Diggs signed a three-year contract with the New England Patriots this past offseason and has his new team in a strong position to reach the AFC Championship Game next weekend.
The only thing standing in his way is the NFL’s top-ranked defense, which belongs to the Houston Texans.
Iron Sharpens Iron
Throughout training camp, Diggs rotated through each defensive back, testing their skills. When it came to nickel corner/safety Jalen Pitre, he made it his obligation to give him whatever tips he needed from a receiver’s perspective to help him improve, as Pitre was moving out of his regular strong safety role and playing more of a hybrid role closer to the line of scrimmage.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke realized that the former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year had a skill set that could be used to help stop the run and cover short and intermediate routes, which would require him to be matched up with slot receivers.
“Every offseason, every year as you’re watching the film, you’re evaluating your roster, your scheme, everything that we’re trying to do,” said Burke when asked about the move of Pitre. “Again, similar to saying we want to put all these guys in the best spots to shine and make plays. We felt that as we watched some of the stuff that Jalen [Pitre] does really well, playing close to the box and in the run game and in the blitz game and all the things that he’s elite at, we wanted to try to put him more in those spots to take advantage of some of that skill set. He’s obviously thrived when he does that.”
One reason Pitre was so successful in the 12 games he played before suffering a season-ending pectoral injury against the Tennessee Titans was his work with Diggs in training camp and the early-season conversations they had.
Pitre recalls the moment he knew that Diggs was special and truly a team-first guy. He was one of the last to go to the podium after practice last summer, 30 minutes after practice had ended. Diggs waited for Pitre to finish so they could get some extra work in.
“I thought that was really cool to see a guy with his accomplishments wait on me to give me more pointers about coverage,” said Pitre exclusively to Big Sarge Media about Diggs. “He told me how to stay on my toes and when is the proper time to attack on a route. That was valuable stuff that hopefully I will be able to take advantage on him in the game on Sunday.”
Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. also had classic one-on-one battles with Diggs, each seeking the other out every chance they got to go against one another. They are as opposite as they come when it comes to talking on the field, as Stingley is quiet and lets his play do the talking, and Diggs is very braggadocious and loves to trash-talk.
Yet Stingley took every opportunity he could to study Diggs’ movements off the line, his routes, and his finishing, which could play a massive role in their matchups on Sunday.
“He is a great receiver because every movement he makes is intentional,” said Stingley to Big Sarge Media about the way Diggs plays the game. “If he does this step, he’s setting up something for either later in the series or later in the game, maybe even next play. The first day he got here he was helping us out and giving us football talk. You could just see that he moves just differently than anyone else.”
Golden Opportunity
If the Texans’ defense can control Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and prevent him from making any big plays with his legs, the defensive backs should be able to contain Diggs and the rest of the wide receivers.
“This team has some of the best leaders I have ever been around,” said Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard, who has been with the organization since being taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. “We have a great group of young guys, and obviously, the head coach speaks for itself. This team and the way it was put together is good.”