DeMeco Ryans Praises Houston Texans Defensive Linemen Jonathan Greenard, Maliek Collins' Play

Houston Texans edge rusher Jonathan Greenard has made himself a lot of money this autumn, and Sunday’s game was no different.

Greenard has been Houston’s most productive pass rusher, generating six sacks and lapping his competition in the defensive line room. The next highest total on the Texans comes from defensive tackle Maliek Collins, with 2.5. Despite a strong start to the year, rookie Will Anderson has just a single sack to his name.

The two veterans atop Houston’s sack leaderboard were great in Week 8 and, in turn, the Texans had their best pass-rush outing of the season. They sacked Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young six times, limiting them to just 15 points.

It wasn’t enough. Houston lost 15-13 at the hands of its own ill-prepared offense, and a young team fell victim to its first trap game of the season. Even so, head coach DeMeco Ryans made it a point to compliment his pass rushers on Monday.

“When it comes to Jonathan and Maliek, I think both guys played really well,” Ryans said. “Jonathan, specifically on the edge, what he was able to do rushing the passer, utilizing the long arm, playing with power, and being able to get to the quarterback. That was the best game I’ve seen him have.”

Furthermore, interior pressure is important to this defense. There’s little debate about the merits of Anderson, and if Greenard is playing like this, it’s one of the better duos in the sport. However, pushing the pocket from the interior only makes their job easier, forcing quarterbacks into their rush lanes and punishing offenses that allocate resources to stopping them.

“Both guys, when they continue to rush like we ask them to rush and do it consistently, they can affect the quarterback,” Ryans continued. “And it’s a combination … Jonathan, he’s able to get that pressure on the quarterback because of our interior push up front.”

It’s clear Ryans has a plan for his front four, and that includes a cohesive rushing attack. He’s emphasized the importance of playing off fellow linemen instead of trying to get into the box score on every stat. Week 8 was a testament to that coaching point.

“When we rush well together, we rush as one,” Ryans said. “We make plays, we disrupt the quarterback … If we continue with the right mindset, continue to rush like we rushed yesterday, we’ll continue to affect the quarterback.”

On Sunday, Greenard generated 2.5 sacks, while Collins found two for himself. Linebackers Denzel Perryman and Blake Cashman got in on the action, too.

They’ll need to continue that cohesiveness against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, as quarterback Baker Mayfield has proven to be a tough player to sack in the early going.