How Texans Veteran S Jimmie Ward is Helping Jalen Pitre Develop in Year 2
HOUSTON — After falling to the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 4 inside NRG Stadium, former coach Lovie Smith found comfort in the play of his defense.
The Houston Texans did not allow the Browns to score an offensive touchdown, but their inefficient play on the offensive side of the ball and special teams led to a 27-14 loss.
Several players stepped up to help the Texans have one of their best defensive performances of the season, including rookie safety Jalen Pitre.
He became the second rookie in franchise history to post 15 or more tackles — joining coach DeMeco Ryans in 2006. Pitre finished with a game-high 16 tackles. The highlight of the day was the interception he recorded on quarterback Deshaun Watson during the first quarter.
After taking the first shot at the Rockets game in March, Pitre said building off his promising rookie campaign is his top goal entering his second season. And veteran safety Jimmie Ward is helping Pitre's development by watching game film during voluntary workouts.
"One thing that I’ve seen is he has great ball skills," Ward said. "He can really move. He has some great feet. He told me a little about his background story and how he played nickel in college, and that’s similar to what I did.
Pitre's performance against the Browns was arguably his best game of the 2022 season. It played a major role in helping Pitre finish the year with 147 tackles, 99 solo hits, eight pass deflections and five interceptions.
The game set a foundation for Pitre to build upon as a sophomore. But Pitre's potential has Ward thrilled to be joining the Baylor prospect as his new defensive backfield mate.
"I’m excited because that’s what I did and I’m excited because it can be interchangeable where I don’t always have to cover, he doesn’t always have to blitz or he don’t always have to be in the post. We can switch it up and that’s great for a defense because we can disguise better."
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