Derek Stingley Jr. has been a playmaker for the Houston Texans. As he heads into his fourth NFL season, he hopes to lead the league in interceptions. On the field last season, Stingley looked like a generational talent. Where he really shined was in his one-on-one matchups against elite WRs like Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and DJ Moore. His stellar production on the field helped improve the Texans’ defense to new heights. Fourth, they ranked sixth in passing yards allowed per game.
Stingley’s statistics reveal an impressive track record. He held opponents to just a paltry 46.7% completion rate on passes thrown in his direction. That placed him as the second-lowest completion percentage in the league among CBs with 200+ coverage snaps in 2022. Since becoming a professional player, he has accumulated just 11 total interceptions. This production puts him in a fifth place superbly done with peers. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who joined the Texans this offseason, has 13 interceptions in that same span, good for fourth most in the league.
The Texans’ secondary was instrumental in creating opportunities for their pass rush, which recorded 49 sacks last season, tying for fifth in the NFL. Stingley and his teammates provided suffocating coverage. This allowed the pass rush, led by linebackers Matthew Judon and Josh Uche, to gain enough time to consistently harass opposing quarterbacks. This aggressive style of defense produced jaw-dropping success in big games last year. It made Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throw a career-high four turnovers and resulted in an amazing five interceptions of Jared Goff from the Detroit Lions.
Fellow defensive stalwart Jalen Pitre lauded Stingley’s playmaking ability from last year. That’s awesome, he gushed, “Last year was a breakthrough year for him.” So far, Stingley has built a pretty good legacy. Now, his attention is purely on staying healthy and consistent as he gears up for the 2024 season.
“Going into Year 4, it’s really just staying healthy and stacking,” – Derek Stingley
After Stingley’s injury, first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans recognized Stingley’s importance on and off the field. “C.J. is just, he’s one piece.… He’s a bedrock component of our plan,” said first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans. He emphasized the importance of both Stingley and Gardner-Johnson in achieving the Texans’ defensive goals.
There’s no denying Stingley’s confidence, and that’s a good thing as he makes his plans for the future. In his mind, the Texans can truly be a league leader in interceptions. Given their deep roster and last year’s record-setting results, they need to exceed that by a wide margin.
“Going based off of last year, plus the guys we got now, we should lead in interceptions probably by at least about 10 to 15,” – Derek Stingley
As he looks back on his growth, Stingley understands the importance of continual progress and chemistry in the secondary. His individual talents were more than sufficient to make him shine bright. Add new pieces such as Gardner-Johnson and the Texans’ defensive unit can reach new heights.
The Texans’ formidable secondary not only aims to stifle opposing offenses but seeks to create a legacy as one of the league’s most feared defensive units. Here’s how Stingley is leading the charge! One thing fans are guaranteed to see this season is plenty of action, with fierce coverage, cunning tactics and record-breaking interception rates.
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