Sheldon Rankins Shimmys Into End Zone With Defensive TD In Texans Win Over Titans

A foot race occurred to the end zone, but Rankins won by a few steps. What's next? Celebration time.

"Jerry and Rankins have done an unbelievable job," said Texans coach DeMeco Ryans. "Rankins is holding it down on the interior [defensive] line. Those guys don't get a lot of publicity, but Rankins, Maliek [Collins], the interior defensive linemen, they're the driving force, and they've done a great job all year. Jerry has really picked it up these past couple weeks."

The touchdown bolstered more positive energy for the locker room in a must-win game at home. Houston jumped out to a 17-0 lead while extending their takeaway streak to six games. 

Rankins, an eight-year veteran in his first year with Houston, not only scored his first NFL touchdown, but also picked up his sixth sack. Hughes, who's in Year 14 and still thriving, picked up his third sack in place of leading man Jonathan Greenard. 

"For him to still be out there, doing it better than a lot of young guys, it's really special to watch," said Rankins. "I'm happy I was able to cap that off with a touchdown, but to watch Jerry go to work and have that mindset, it's uplifting." 

Hughes joined the Texans last season and finished with 9.5 sacks. It was a high point for Houston in a lackluster season that saw the franchise regress from 4-13 to 3-13-1 under Lovie Smith. 

Rankins, a former first-round pick, has only seen the positivity in Houston. Hughes has watched mediocre football and knows the taste of defeat. He also understands what it takes to turn around a franchise, as evident during his stay with the Buffalo Bills. 

Sunday's surge might have been the culmination of the rebuild being over. The Texans are one win away from securing double-digit victories and a playoff berth for the first time since 2019. 

Hughes, the old man off the edge, served as a reminder of what happens when one is patient. He entered the game in place of the injured Greenard and walked off a difference maker. 

As for Rankins, he got to show his flexibility one more time in front of the home crowd. How often does that happen? 

"[I] thought I was going to get there for the sack, and then Jerry comes out of nowhere, knocks the ball out of his hands, and I’m just trying to find the ball and get into the end zone," said Rankins. "Big play for us. Glad I could make that.”