Here's everything Houston Texans All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said heading into Week 7's matchup against the New York Giants, including his thoughts on the return of Tank Dell, the arrival of J.J. McCarthy and the Giants' offensive line.
Question: On the tackling of the defense
Will Anderson Jr.: “We have to have the ability to put body on body, drive our feet wrap up and bring the guy to the ground. I think there are a lot of things, we’re just leaving our feet behind. I think the contact is good, but I think we're leaving our feet. We're just jumping off the diving board and not everybody is getting to the ball as well too. I think those are the two biggest things that was something to take away from the game. That first person wrap,
hold on. Then that second person come in and attack the ball, but get the man down ultimately.”
Q: On New York Giants QB J.J. McCarthy
Anderson: “He’s a young quarterback. I think both of the guys we really watched tape on. Both of the guys can really move really well. They get out the pocket. They make guys miss. They make the first person miss. You win a one-on-one. You try to get Jameis [Winston] down and Jameis is back there moving around. We’ll try to get JJ down. I think they're both very good athletes. You look at JJ, I think he has the ability to open up a lot of more stuff. They want to do zone read, all those type of different things, escape the pocket. It's going to be a good matchup for us. I think more than ever we have to rush together. He's a young quarterback, so we have to do a really good job of making sure that everybody is owning their box.”
Q: On QB C.J. Stroud being named AFC Offensive Player of the Week
Anderson: “I sit right next to C.J. in the meeting and I look forward to Wednesdays because I always want to know. But he deserves it. You talk about a guy who's been consistent all year, leading the NFL in yards, leading this team to where we need to be at. He's playing outstanding. But it starts with his preparation. It starts with his process. You see him every day go through that same process, that same preparation, every day on the field. It's no shocker that when we get in the game, he's making big plays. He's commanding the offense and he's taking over and winning these games for us.”
Q: On whether the team is confident as long as QB C.J. Stroud is playing
Anderson: "Oh, most definitely. He's a top quarterback in this league and he helps us win a lot of games. He is the reason why we've been winning a lot of games. Big shout-out to him. Offensive line, too, have to give them a big shout-out. They held those guys to zero sacks. They moved the ball really well. C.J. had enough time to bake a cake back there. A big shout-out to those guys, too. Offense has been doing their thing and that's what we need. It's awesome to feed off of that. And play complimentary football off of that. It's been awesome to see. I'm really happy for him because I know all the hard work he's put in. I know everything that he's endured up until this moment. To see his light shine and to see him bring his team together and go out and make those big plays has been great.”
Q: On the defense
Anderson: “I think the new thing every week is just, ‘How well can you be at owning your box?’ Every time we step on the field, ‘How well can you be at owning your box and just doing your job?’ I think the more we can be consistent there and it starts throughout the week in practice, I think the more we can play to our standard. Very thankful that we got the win. That was a big one. We needed that one. I think if we talk about standard, I think we talk about expectation. ‘Was that our expectation and standard that we put on tape Saturday?’ No. ‘Is there areas to get better?’ Of course. That's what the league is. I think for us, every day we come into this building, looking at our mistakes, getting better and everybody's being on the same page.”
Q: On whether the defense has played to their standard
Anderson: “I feel like it's just been very off and on. I feel like we'll have a really good game and then we'll have a game where it's just an average game and then we'll have a game where it's just, like, ‘Well, we don't know what are we doing.’ I think once we can navigate the way of getting to ‘Who are we’, just one way of style of play, we can be a very, really good defense. I think we have the talent and I think nobody's just going out there and beating us. We're beating ourselves. Nobody's just going out there and rolling over us. It's like, ‘Be where you're supposed to be at and do what you're supposed to do.’ I think that's just been the biggest thing is just the mental focus to do your job for 60 minutes has to get better.”
Q: On looking to improve as a defense
Anderson: “I think the main thing right now, in all honesty, is going 1-0. I think that's just been the focus and been the point, ‘How many times can we go 1-0 in these consecutive weeks.’ It's a new thing that's going on here. We can't keep looking at the past. We can't keep looking at what we did last year. I think right now we have to be where our feet are. Right now we're a defense that we have to get our stuff together. Yeah, we’re winning these games. But, like I said, it's not so much really what they're doing. It's just we have to get out our own way. When all 11 guys are on the same page, we're a really great defense. It's shown like we'll have a quarter or we'll have a half or we'll have a series. How many consecutive series can we stack with no mistakes? I got up here earlier this year and said that the defense that we run, you almost have to be perfect. Yes, it's hard to be perfect, but as long as we keep going to our foundation of swarming and everybody just at least doing that, we have a really good chance to win games. I have no doubt that we'll continue to get better and clean up the mistakes that we've been making.”
Q: On what has improved the most on the defense this season
Anderson: “I would say our communication. I would say from the first game to now, I think everybody getting the call and everybody playing that one call. There has still been some times where we have one guy playing this and one guy playing that. But I think the communication has gotten a lot better across the board from the defensive line to the linebackers to the safeties to the corners.”
Q: On WR Tank Dell returning
Anderson: “I've been hugging Tank all day. I haven't left his side all day. Literally, before meetings and walking after meetings, I was just with him and we were talking. I was making a joke about his swag. I was like, ‘Hey, you still got that swag?’ He’s the freshest on the field, I'm not going to lie. I was asking if he still has it. But I was telling him, every time I’ve seen him today, ‘Bro, I'm so proud of you.’ The work that you continue to have put in through these last two years, showing up, being consistent. I know it was hard. I know you didn't feel your best. Trusting God, leaning in on your process. You're going to spin. We were walking. He was like, ‘Bro, I'm just ready to spin.’ I was like, ‘You're going to get to spin Sunday.’ He's like, ‘I just want to.’ I said, bro, ‘Just trust the process; they're going to get you out there.’ It's awesome. You talk about a guy that's been determined, that's been staying down, but also being in the building. It's kind of hard sometimes when you're a guy that has been out for a long time. You come in the building and have great energy. He's continued to come in the building, have great energy, love on the guys, love on the rod receivers, keep being there and not be an energy vampire. He's been going through his process the right way. I think that's why he's been able to make the strides that he's made to be able to be back on the field right now.”
Q: On what WR Tank Dell means to the team
Anderson: “He means a lot to the team. It's kind of like Nico [Collins]. Like, when Nico's out there, it's different. Like, when Tank is out there, it's different. You feel the explosive energy. You feel the big plays coming. You feel like he's going to break somebody's ankles out there. He brings that type of energy. I know C.J. is going to enjoy having him back because they're really close. That's a big, you know, connection that they have as well.”
Q: On WR Tank Dell playing with contact for the first time in two years
Anderson: “At the end of the day, I think it's ball. He's [WR Tank Dell] played ball a very long time. He's been playing ball longer than me. I just found out he was older than me [laughter]. But, no, he's been playing ball a long time. I think knowing Tank and knowing what he's grounded in, he's grounded in his faith. I think it's trusting God and knowing that he's got you ready for this moment. He's prepared you for this moment. He willed you back. You did all the necessary things to be back. He’s got you. I think just encouraging him to go out there, man, let loose, be free and know that it's just ball. It's the same sport that you've been playing. And I know it's going to be a little bit of nerves. But just tell him, ‘At the end of the day, don't hold back.’ Everything that you've been working for, everything that you've been waiting for, now is the moment to go unleash it and I know he will.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. said ahead of Week 7 matchup vs. Giants
