The defense did it again.
What a performance it was in the Texans' 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins.
I'm trying something new this week, so check out my Harris Hits...
1) QB Tua Tagovailoa threw just one interception (and 15 TDs) in seven games after his return, but he threw three on Sunday (and just one TD)
2) CB Derek Stingley Jr. is the best CB in the league, period.
3) Nico Collins as WR1 in the league too.? Yes sir!
4) The Texans defensive team speed is ferocious and shows up all over the place.
5) The defensive pursuit is one of the most impressive aspects of this Texans defense.
6) I thought that rookie OT Blake Fisher handled his business, for the most part, on the right side, playing effectively for much of the game.
7) Loved seeing OL Tytus Howard give to the team by moving over to LG, a thankless move, but one Tytus made for the team.
8) Seeing LB Christian Harris back on the field did my heart some good and he played about as well as could be imagined after not playing a game for 330 days.
9) Fellow LB Henry To'oTo'o handled the green dot communication and on-field communication about as well as possible…and he and Harris FLEW around all day.
10) Although he didn't get a ton in the run game, RB Joe Mixon was the team's leading receiver, and I wouldn't mind seeing him catch five for 33 yards each game the rest of the season.
11) Long live Denver edge Nik Bonitto and the Broncos…for this week only, of course.
12) S Calen Bullock was fantastic on Sunday and he was HAULING you-know-what down the sideline after he picked off Tua Tagavailoa.
13) I have NOT been a huge fan of using Tank Dell on punt returns, but I really liked the way that looked with him back there on Sunday.
14) It was ALMOST a perfect game on special teams, ALMOST…damn offsides on the field goal was a killer.
15) I can't believe that Dolphins RT Jackson Carman thought the right thing to do was to jump set Danielle Hunter, the spinningest spinner in the NFL…and Carman got GOT.
16) All week, I noted that the more that the secondary forced Tua to hold the ball, the more Will and Danielle would strike…and I was right.
17) I told media star Kay Adams this summer that this was a top five defense in the league and she's learning that I may have been very right.
18) I'm not sure where the Texans would be without their top three draft picks (Kamari Lassiter, Fisher and Bullock) from 2024.
19) Dolphins star WR Tyreek Hill had two catches for 36 yards on seven targets. Hope that didn't hurt your fantasy team.
20) After the game Harris told me he went up to Stingley in the fourth quarter and told him that he was going to have to make a play…apparently Sting said nothing and just did it.
21) The Texans' fake punt was so incredibly well blocked…great call, but the execution was brilliant.
22) I had actually been thinking about a fake punt because Navy ran a PERFECT one against Army on Saturday (thanks Drew D!), but when the Dolphins had a defensive punt safe look on the field, I thought "Not now".
23) We give DTs a ton of credit for TFLs and sacks, but by sprinting after Dolphins WR Malik Washington on a screen, DT Tommy Togiai may have saved a TD in the first half.
24) The Texans held the Dolphins, arguably the fastest offense in the NFL, to 3.6 yards per play.
25) Danielle Hunter (12.0) and Will Anderson Jr (10.5) have combined for the most sacks for a duo in the NFL in 2024.
26) QB C.J. Stroud had a better day than most people will want to accept and threw three passes at a minimum that were jaw dropping.
Alright, that's going to do it for my Harris Hits. Time to get ready for Kansas City…at Arrowhead. Let's GO!
