subject: Texans DE Smith: Defense needs to be accountable [print this page] Texans DE Smith: Defense needs to be accountable
"We played harder than in any other game this year," Cushing said. "No question about it."
Cushing will have a featured role in the rematch, moving from the outside to replace the injured DeMeco Ryans at middle linebacker. Like Smith, Cushing is a vocal leader on defense, and Houston coach nfl jerseyGary Kubiak is hoping the two of them rub off more on the rest of the group over the final 10 games.
"The key is that the other 10 understand that we all need to talk more, not wait on one voice," Kubiak said. "They got so used to waiting on DeMeco, that they all need to share mlb jerseys the verbiage out there."
Houston's defensive front has no more than six quarterback pressures in the five games since the first one, and the Texans failed to record a single sack in their two losses, to Dallas and the New York Giants.
The lack of a pass rush has made things even more challenging for the young and beleaguered secondary. The Texans have yielded a 100-yard receiver in five of six games, and given up seven pass plays of 40 yards or longer.
But Smith took personal responsibility for the defense's struggles before he criticized anyone else.
"You will gain nobody's respect by pointing the finger at everybody else, saying, 'Y'all need to do what I do. Y'all need to step your game nfl jersey up,"' Smith said. "That's going to help the defense as a whole, when everybody is holding themselves to a higher level of accountability.
"When that happens, you don't have to worry about the secondary, or the defensive line not getting any sacks," he said. "It's everybody making plays and once that starts to happen, the thing just opens up."
