Houston set to dance the “Texan two-sack”

By Adam Markowitz  |   Wednesday, August 13, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Houston Texans
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Around this time a year ago, the Houston Texans were still being criticized for allegedly making the wrong selection with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Everyone thought that it was a slam dunk that Reggie Bush would be the top choice and become a mainstay in the Texans' backfield, but instead the team turned to North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams as its man.

Williams showed flashes of brilliance in 2006, but he only ended up recording 4.5 sacks. The Texans improved to 6-10 from their league-worst 2-14 mark from ’05, but the pick didn’t seem justified, especially considering Bush’s immediate success with the resurgent Saints. The former USC superstar helped New Orleans transform from a 3-13 team without a permanent home after Hurricane Katrina to one that was one win from the Super Bowl. He averaged 95.2 all-purpose yards per game and scored nine touchdowns along the way.

With the 10th selection in the 2007 draft, the Texans were once again questioned for not filling other gaping holes on their roster. They could have added running back Marshawn Lynch, cornerback Darrelle Revis or homegrown safety Michael Griffin. Instead, they went with defensive tackle Amobi Okoye. It was the fourth consecutive first-round defensive lineman whom the Texans drafted (Okoye, Williams, Travis Johnson, and Jason Babin).

Unlike the 2007 offseason, though, the top draft choices made by former general manager Charley Casserly and current G.M. Rick Smith haven't been scrutinized as the league prepares to enter the 2008 season.

Williams flourished last year, amassing 14 sacks, the third highest total in the NFL, while Bush struggled, only playing in 12 games and showing fewer examples of his game-breaking ability.

Okoye tallied 5.5 sacks in his rookie campaign, ranking him ninth in the NFL for defensive tackles; that put him among names like Tommie Harris, Darnell Dockett and Shaun Rogers. It's also the highest sack total for a rookie D-tackle since John Henderson recorded 6.5 for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002.

This year, the Louisville product has his sights set on a much more productive year.

“I have to get 15 [sacks]. I know that’s a lot for a defensive tackle, but I think it can get done," he told the Texans' official Web site.

Okoye paused and stated, “I know it can get done.”

If Okoye progresses as rapidly as Williams has, his goals may not be so far-fetched after all. Granted, it is traditionally easier to record sacks from the defensive end position than at tackle, but Okoye has shown quickness off the ball and the ability to penetrate into the opposing backfield quickly, a rare talent for tackles.

When Smith and head coach Gary Kubiak took the reins in Houston, the team made a conscious effort to build around defense. Williams and Okoye are the cornerstones of that project. The 19.5 combined sacks between Williams and Okoye in 2007 was the top combination for a defensive end and tackle in the NFL. Much more is expected from them in 2008 and beyond.

Though the two youngsters still have a long way to go before they can be mentioned as one of the NFL's all-time great defensive duos, Williams and Okoye have a chance to develop into one of the fiercest pass-rushing tandems ever.

If 2008 pans out as a year in which both Okoye and Williams make the Pro Bowl, loyalists in Houston will all be doing the "Texas two-step" over their dominant D-line pair. In fact, don't be surprised if fans and media look back at Williams and Okoye years down the line and refer to them as the "Texas two-sack."

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