Practice Notebook Highlights Defense Prep for the Houston Texans

As the New York Jets gear up for their Week 15 showdown with the Houston Texans, the team’s defensive unit has turned practice fields at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center into a laboratory of strategic adjustments. This week’s practice notebook—filled with observations from drills, coach feedback, and player reactions—offers a rare glimpse into how the Jets are tailoring their defense to counter the Texans’ dynamic offense, which ranks 12th in the NFL in total yards per game. Practice Notebook Highlights Defense Prep for the Houston Texans isn’t just a recap of drills; it’s a breakdown of how the Jets are translating scouting reports into on-field action, focusing on neutralizing the Texans’ biggest threats while leaning into their own defensive strengths. For a Jets defense that has improved steadily all season (now ranking 8th in points allowed), this week’s prep is a chance to prove they can shut down a playoff-contending offense.

Practice Notebook Highlights Defense Prep for the Houston Texans begins with the defensive line’s focus on disrupting Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud’s rhythm—a priority after Stroud threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns in his last outing. Early in Wednesday’s practice, defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington ran a series of “pocket collapse” drills, where linemen worked on quick first steps and shedding blocks to pressure the quarterback within 2.5 seconds (the average time Stroud takes to release the ball). Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, fully recovered from his earlier ankle sprain, looked dominant in the drills, using his 325-pound frame to push backup offensive linemen into the “quarterback” (a dummy) on three consecutive reps. “We’re not just trying to sack him—we’re trying to make him uncomfortable,” Williams told reporters after practice. “Stroud’s good at stepping up in the pocket, so we’re working on looping around guards and tackles to cut off his escape routes.” Covington echoed the focus, adding, “We’re studying every snap Stroud’s taken this season. He hates pressure from his blind side, so we’re emphasizing edge rushers staying low and attacking that spot.” The drills weren’t just physical; coaches also played clips of Stroud’s past games between reps, quizzing linemen on his tendencies—like how he shifts his weight when preparing to throw deep.

Practice Notebook Highlights Defense Prep for the Houston Texans shifts to the secondary, which spent Thursday’s practice honing in on the Texans’ star wide receiver, Nico Collins. Collins, who has 78 catches for 1,102 yards and seven touchdowns this season, is Stroud’s favorite target on third downs (converting 18 third-and-long plays this year). To counter him, Jets defensive backs ran “shadow drills,” where cornerbacks—led by Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed—practiced mirroring Collins’ route patterns, with coaches simulating the Texans’ tendency to line Collins up in the slot 40% of the time. Gardner, who drew the primary assignment on Collins, spent extra time after practice working with defensive backs coach Tony Oden on reading Collins’ hip movements. “Collins uses a lot of double moves—jabs to the outside, then cuts inside,” Gardner explained. “We’re practicing breaking on those moves early without overcommitting. If I give him an inch, he’ll take a mile.” The secondary also focused on “zone coverage communication,” with safeties Adrian Amos and Jordan Whitehead calling out pre-snap adjustments to account for the Texans’ frequent use of 11-personnel (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers). Oden noted, “The Texans love to motion Collins across the formation to create mismatches. We’re making sure our safeties are talking nonstop—so no one’s caught off guard.”

Practice Notebook Highlights Defense Prep for the Houston Texans includes a key focus on stopping the Texans’ running game, which has averaged 115 yards per game since Week 10 behind rookie running back Dameon Pierce. Friday’s practice featured “gap control drills,” where linebackers—including C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams—worked on plugging holes quickly to prevent Pierce from getting to the second level. Pierce, known for his physical, downhill style (he averages 3.8 yards after contact), was the subject of intense film study, with linebackers watching clips of his tendency to bounce runs outside when the interior line is clogged. “Pierce doesn’t dance—he hits the hole hard, then fights for extra yards,” Mosley said. “We’re practicing wrapping up his legs early; if he gets his shoulders turned, he’s hard to bring down.” The Jets also adjusted their front seven, occasionally using a 3-4 alignment (instead of their usual 4-3) to add an extra linebacker and limit Pierce’s cutback lanes. The Houston Texans’ running game relies heavily on play-action to set up deep passes, so the Jets also mixed in “run-pass option (RPO) recognition drills,” where defenders practiced reading Pierce’s movements to determine if the play was a run or pass. Linebackers coach Mike Caldwell said, “The Texans’ RPOs are some of the best in the league. We’re making sure our guys don’t bite on the run fake—Stroud will burn you if you do.”

Practice Notebook Highlights Defense Prep for the Houston Texans shows how the Jets are preparing for the Texans’ red-zone efficiency, a area where Houston excels (scoring touchdowns on 63% of red-zone trips, 5th in the NFL). Saturday’s practice included a 30-minute red-zone drill, where the defense set up shop between the 20-yard line and end zone and faced the Jets’ scout team, which mimicked the Texans’ red-zone plays—including their favorite: a fade route to Collins in the corner of the end zone. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was vocal during the drill, stopping plays to correct alignment. “When we’re in the red zone, every inch matters,” Ulbrich yelled after a scout team touchdown. “Sauce, you need to be tighter to Collins—he can’t get that separation.” The defense adjusted quickly, with Gardner breaking up two consecutive fade routes later in the drill. The Houston Texans also rely on tight end Dalton Schultz in the red zone (he has five touchdowns there this season), so the Jets practiced double-teaming him with a linebacker and safety. “Schultz is a big target—6’5”, 250 pounds—so we can’t let him body up our safeties,” Amos said. “We’re practicing switching assignments mid-play to make sure he’s always covered.” By the end of the drill, the defense had stopped the scout team on four consecutive possessions, drawing a round of applause from Jets head coach Robert Saleh.

Practice Notebook Highlights Defense Prep for the Houston Texans wraps up with a focus on situational football—specifically, how the Jets plan to handle the Texans’ late-game offense, which has won three games this season with fourth-quarter drives. Sunday’s walkthrough practice included a “two-minute drill” where the defense had to protect a three-point lead with 90 seconds left on the clock. The scout team, again mimicking the Texans, ran Stroud’s go-to late-game plays: a quick slant to Collins, a screen pass to Pierce, and a deep post route to wide receiver Robert Woods. The defense responded by playing “prevent with a punch”—dropping seven defenders into coverage but keeping three linemen active to pressure Stroud. On the final play of the drill, Williams sacked the scout-team quarterback, ending the drive and drawing high-fives from teammates. “Late games are about focus—you can’t let the moment speed you up,” Williams said. “We’re practicing staying calm, communicating, and executing our assignments.” The Houston Texans’ ability to convert third downs (41% this season) also factored into the prep, with the defense running extra third-down drills to ensure they could get off the field. Ulbrich summed up the week’s work: “This isn’t just about stopping one player or one play. It’s about stopping a system. We’ve put in the work, and now we just need to go out there and execute.” For the Jets, this practice notebook isn’t just a record of drills—it’s a blueprint for success against a tough opponent.