'Relentless' Commanders DL Dominates in Road Win vs. Texans

The Washington Commanders defensive line sacked Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills five times and limited the team to just 21 yards rushing on 16 carries, turning in a performance best described as "relentless."

The Washington Commanders defensive line turned in a signature performance during Sunday's 23-10 victory over the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.

Entering the contest ranked top-10 in total defense, sacks and stopping the run, Washington set the tone early and often, limiting Houston to just five total yards of offense in the first half and some six rushing yards on nine carries.

Of the Texans' seven first-half possessions, four ended in three-and-outs, one with a pick-six, another with a punt after six plays, and a quarterback kneel to end the half.

It was a dominant display, crushing Houston's morale and putting the game nearly out of reach after 30 minutes, with the 20-0 lead seeming - and proving to be - insurmountable.

The Texans finished the contest with just 148 total yards of offense, only 21 of which came on the ground. They averaged a mere 2.7 yards per play and went two of 13 on third down. Of the 10 non-kneel drives, Houston mustered 11 first downs.

But really, Sunday wasn't about what Houston didn't do - it was about what Washington did do, which is sack Texans quarterback Davis Mills five times and walk away with nine total tackles for loss.

The standout showing was led by defensive tackles Jonathan Allen (three tackles for loss, two sacks) and Da'Ron Payne (one each), and defensive end Montez Sweats (two each), Casey Toohill (two tackles for loss) and James Smith-Williams (one tackles for loss).

It was a collective effort from Washington's entire front, with Sweat mentioning after the game that the sacks essentially parlayed into a snowball effect of confidence and "motivation" to get after the quarterback.

"It's a race to the QB," Sweat said. "When we see one guy get one, we get hungry, we get motivated, so it's a lot of motivation out there."

The Commanders allowed Mills to complete just 19 of 33 passes for 169 yards, the sixth time in seven games they've held the opposing offense to under 200 yards through the air; they're 5-2 in those games.

While the stout pass defense isn't anything new, the sack totals are. Over the last four games, the Commanders had only five sacks - it took them 41 minutes to match that number Sunday against the Texans.

Per Sweat, the recipe behind the success was straightforward, and something Washington can continue to lean on moving forward.

"It's just being relentless," said Sweat. "Effort always gets the job done."

As for Payne and Allen, the other two stars on the Commanders defensive front, this level of dominance is nothing new. Dating back to their time as teammates in college at Alabama.

Now firmly established as leaders on one of the better defensive lines in the NFL, the chemistry that's been forming for the last seven years is on full display.

"I know what kind of moves he's going to make (and) he knows what kind of moves I like to make, so we can work off each other," Payne said.

Through 11 games, Payne (5.5) and Allen (4.5) lead the Commanders in sacks, with Sweat not far behind at four. The fearsome trio also lead the team in tackles for loss, with Allen headlining at 11, Payne at 10 and Sweat at seven.

Best of all, Washington is winning. As victors of five of their last six games, the Commanders are right in the thick of the playoff race with just six games to go.

Led by Payne, Allen, Sweat and the rest of the defensive line, Washington will look to continue its winning ways this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. at FedEx Field.

---

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

Get your Washington Commanders game tickets from SI Tickets HERE!

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Washington Commanders? Click Here.

Follow Commander Country on Twitter.

Want even more Washington Commanders news? Check out the Si.com team page here