HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Asked how he鈥檇 describe Houston鈥檚 pass rush to someone who hasn鈥檛 seen the Texans play before, coach DeMeco Ryans took a few seconds before landing on an answer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like four Tasmanian devils just wrecking everything that鈥檚 in front of them. That鈥檚 how I look at our guys,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淭hey are fast. They are physical. The way they get off the ball, the way they collapse the pocket, they鈥檙e a terror.鈥�
After a stellar performance , the Texans are looking for this fearsome foursome to lead them again when they visit the Patriots on Sunday, when a win will put them in the AFC championship for the first time in franchise history.
The starting defensive line consists of defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and second-teamer and fellow end Danielle Hunter along with tackles Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai.
The Texans led the NFL in yards allowed in the regular season and were second to the Seahawks in points. They continued that success in their first playoff game, allowing just 175 yards in the 30-6 win over Pittsburgh.
Houston sacked Aaron Rodgers four times and hit him 12 other times on Monday night while forcing him to fumble twice. They scored two defensive touchdowns against the Steelers, with one coming on Anderson鈥檚 strip sack of Rodgers that Rankins scooped up and returned 33 yards for the score. It was the fourth touchdown this season for Houston鈥檚 defensive line, another example of just how good this group has been.
Working together
Anderson and Hunter are the undisputed stars of the group after combining for 27 sacks in the regular season. But defensive line coach Rod Wright said what the Texans do doesn鈥檛 work unless everyone does their job.
鈥淲e say four equals one,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淓verything we do, we do together. That鈥檚 a tribute to our guys. We know we鈥檒l sack a quarterback if we rush as one. But if one guy wins, but the other guy doesn鈥檛 complement him, the quarterback鈥檚 gonna get out, especially a quarterback like we鈥檙e playing on Sunday.鈥�
Hunter said playing with that mindset makes the game a lot of fun.
鈥淭he guys go out there and the biggest thing is just feeling free,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to worry about somebody else鈥檚 job, just doing your part. When you鈥檙e out there, there鈥檚 no feeling that鈥檚 better than you doing your part and everybody else is doing their part. It just flows.鈥�
Houston’s pass rush hurried and harassed the 42-year-old Rodgers throughout Monday’s win. They know they鈥檒l have a different challenge against the Patriots , who has 450 yards rushing this season.
But regardless of who they鈥檙e facing, Wright鈥檚 message this week is that you don鈥檛 win at this level by changing things up, but rather by continuing to do what got you here.
鈥淪o really just honing in on things that we already do and being locked in,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot being fancy, being ourselves, but the discipline and the technique and the execution has to be there.鈥�
Four-man rush
Houston鈥檚 front four has been so successful rushing this season that the Texans rarely blitz. Of their 47 sacks in the regular season, only 2陆 came from someone other than a defensive lineman. By contrast, the Broncos, who led the NFL with 68 regular-season sacks, got 43 from non-defensive linemen.
鈥淲hy are we able to rush four guys and play the way we play? It鈥檚 not because I鈥檓 such a great coach,鈥� Ryans said with a laugh. 鈥淚t鈥檚 because we鈥檝e got really great players up front. This game will always be about the players and those guys. They set the table for us, for our entire team.鈥�
While there are plenty of good pass rushers around the league, the Texans are unique in that they don鈥檛 have just one elite pass rusher, but two. Anderson and Hunter were one of only two pairs of teammates to both have at least 10 sacks in the regular season.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel raved about the duo.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 one move,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 talent, length, effort. If they get blocked, they don鈥檛 stay blocked long. Can power different moves on the edge. They play hard against the run. It鈥檚 not just if you run the ball that they鈥檙e taking plays off. So, two really good bookends.鈥�
Bookends that can cause headaches for offensive coordinators.
鈥淚 can imagine it鈥檚 tough because sometimes you can chip one guy and let a tackle stay one on one with the other end. That鈥檚 really not the case here,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone loves their one-on-one matchup with a guy like Will or guy like Danielle, you鈥檝e kind of got to pick your poison. And I just think it鈥檚 a matchup problem for anybody.鈥�
Always learning
Anderson has talked often about how much Hunter has helped his development since the he joined the team last season after spending his first nine years in Minnesota. Hunter doesn鈥檛 talk much, but Anderson, who is in his third year, said seeing how the 31-year-old conducts himself every day has taught him so much.
鈥淭his guy has no let up, he has 100 career sacks, Pro Bowl, All-Pro鈥� and he still doing the little things,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淎nd I think that鈥檚 what makes him really great.鈥�
While Hunter has mostly played the role of teacher in his relationship with the 24-year-old Anderson, he admits he has picked up a thing or two from his young teammate.
鈥淭he biggest thing I鈥檝e learned from Will is just the way he just never gives up. That鈥檚 one thing that we can all learn,鈥� Hunter said. 鈥淗e just keeps his motor, just goes on forever and ever and me being 11 years in the league, it motivates me sometimes, like fourth quarter in the game, Will鈥檚 going I gotta keep going, too.鈥�
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AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower contributed to this story.
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